jproflWttt §trtd%wwfl!.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, I 86&.
Our Seventieth Volume.
With this weekß’p. issue the Weekly
'lntelligencer e'nters upon its Seven
tieth Volume. That Is a highly re
spectable age for a newspaper, and very
fevFihave liv' J( i s 0 long. The Intelli
gences W'aa established at the time
when, Ufj(i er the elder Adams, the
rights r,f the citizen were imperiled
by the passage of the alien and sedition
tows. ( an d other tyrannical and uncon
•tit' jtlonal acts. The Democratic party
alch came to the defence of the rights
r af the masses at that early period, has
continued to be their faithful defender
ever since, and in Pennsylvania there
has been no newspaper more steadfast
in its advocacy of the great principles
of the party, during the many years
which have intervened since its estab
lishment, than the Lancaster Intel
ligencer From the position which
it has qccupied, and the ability with
which it was conducted, it commanded
influence from the Btart, and it has al
ways maintained its position us one of
the most widely circulated and well
known newspapers in the State.
It has been greatly enlarged tw(ice
within the past five years, and the
present proprietors have spared neither
pains nor expense to make it, wliat it
is universally admitted to be, a first
class family newspaper. Its circulation
has greatly increased during the past
year, and is still being steadily and
rapidly added to. Thanking their many
readers for their generous patronage,
the proprietors beg leave to assure them
that no effort will be left unemployed
to make the seventieth volume of the
Weekly Intelligencer superior to
any which has preceded it.
The Governor’s Message.
We lay before our readers to day the
Annual Message of Gov. Geary. It calls
for but little comment. The Governor
gives a statement of the finances of the
State; refers to the common schools,
the schools for soldier’s orphans, and
the agricultural college ; makes a brief
allusion to ihe military of theStute,and
then expends,some space in urgiDg the
adoption of a Registry Law. The Gov.
ernor seems to admit that the law passed
by the last Legislature was unconstitu
tional, which is aconcessiou hardly to be
expected of his excellency, after he had
Blgned it and done ail that lay in his
power to insure its enforcement as it
stood. It is not strange, however, that
he should have failed to perceive that
it was unconstitutional when first
presented for his signature. He
is a man of exceedingly limited ca
pacity, and so completely the slave of
hfs party that he has always been ready
to prostitute his official position for par
tisan purposes. He makes various other
comparatively unimportant* sugges
tions, that in relation to insurance com
panies being the only one worthy of
notice. A revision of the laws of the
State in regard io such institutions is
really needed. The Governor takes up
considerable space to explain his use, or
abuse, of the pardoning power, and ap
pends a list of the cases in which ex
ecutive clemency has been exercised.
He concludes with a lot of weak and
X>uerile, partisan twaddle, in which he
covers up his views on negro equality
under bombastic sentences which may
mean any Ihingornothing, as you please
to take them. The document isa weak
producljou, just such us we mighlexpeet
from the source whence it emanates.
Meeting of the Legislature
The State Legislature met yesterday.
The Radical members assembled in cau
cus on Saturday and selected John
Clark, of Philadelphia, as their candi
date for Speaker of lheiiouHP,and lie was
elected. He Is said to be well fitted fur
the position. It is to be hoped that he
will so frame the different committees
as to put some check upon the corrup
tion and bribery which has disgraced
our Legislature for a number of years.
Much will depend upon his action in
this respect.
It baa been the custom to give the
State Treasurer two terms of cilice, and
it seems to be conceded tliat (len. W.
H. Irwin will be re-elected.
The light over United States Senator
is, of course, the engrossing subject of
consideration. Simon Cameron has not
yet shown his hand, lie is moving in
secrecy ami with great caution and
cunning. It is currently rumored that
he will forget the little unpleasantness
betweemliimsjlf apd John W. Moore
head, and throw his iylluence for him.
John Scott, of Huntingdon, a renegade
Democrat of considerable ability, seems
to be loomiug up. Considering tiiefact
that offices at the disposal of the Radi
cals of this State have a marked dispo
sition to fall into the laps of renegade
Democrats, we should not he much sur
prised if John Scott should carry oil’the
Senatorial prize. The contest seems to
be between hlmaud Moorehead, though
there is no telling what may be the
result.
A Negro In the Jury Box
The'Rudicala nave a large majority in
East Earl township, and they seem to
believe iu the extreme doctrines of iheir
party. Their is but one negro in the
district, aud he is an unadulterated
African, as black as the ace of spades,
and distinctively marked by all the pe
culiar features of his race. He is not.
noted for intelligence, aud does not bear
the beat character, but he wus deemed
good enougli to represent his district
in the Jury box, aud lias been drawn
to serve at the next Court of (Quarter
Sessions. This we believe is the first
instance of the kind ever known in
Pennsylvania; but, as the Radicals ar<j
a progressive party we may properly
conclude that it is only a foretaste of
what the future is to bring forth. The
Republican newspapers of this county- ;
aud of the Stale at large, have hastened
to urge the enforcement of negro equal- j
Ry by an amendment to the Constitu )
tiou of the United Stales. The people i
are not to be consulted in regard to the 1
matter. The thrusting of an occasional I
negro iuto the jury box, in defiance of!
the law of the fcitute, is a small matter !
when compared to that. The sable
juror from East Earl is named Perry
Martin. We presume he wilLacgato
some sensation by his appearauceT's.
The Indian Massacre.
The Agent o'f tne Choctuwand CheroA
kee tribes has written a letter to thi
Commissioner of Indian Affairs, in
which he say& that many members of
these tribes were volunteers in the
Union Army during the war, aud that
some of them were killed in Gen. Cus
tar'srecen t at tack dpon the village. The
Agent adds that the tribes which he
represents are opposed to the transfer of
the Indian Bureau to the War Depart- ;
meot, and he expresses the belief that !
the killing of the loyal Indians by Cus
tar should be investigated.
No one who reads the details which
are now being published cau fail to be
convinced that the reported battle was
a brutal massacre, and a disgrace to the
civilization of the age. Surely some
other method of dealing the In
dians might proveellicient. That much
of their hostility is caused by the ras
calities of the agents employed by the
government is undoubted, We ‘do hope
some remedy more humane may be de
vised than tlie wholesale massacre of I
men, women and children in the dead
of winter.
Another Increase of tlie Tubllc Debt,
The forthcoming statement of the
public debt will snow another increase
of the Public Debt for December. This
will run the increase for the year 1868
up to nearly forty millions. What a
blessing Radical rule .has proved to the
country.
the Old Tear and'the New.
The year of 1866 passes away amid
clouds and storm. is locked
in a girdle of ice and covered by a man
tle of snow. The past twelve months
have been full of important events. In
this country the people have beenleam
ing, by painful experience, that there
is a wide difference between the flush
times which prevailed during the war,
and the natural flow-*of business un
stlmulated bythe monthly expenditure
of mapy millions by the government.
Trade has began to languish, because
it has been contracted to the limits set
by the needs of the nation in time of
peace. We have been coming down
from the giddy height of extravagance,
which we reached with a bound during
the early days of the gigantic struggle
through which we have passed. The
unparalelled expansion of the currency
, rendered money so plenty that all classes
found iteasier than ever before to supply
their wants, and, while the government
was a gigantic and insatiable consumer
of every conceivable commodity, labor
of all kinds was munificently rewarded.
With the disbanding of the million of
men who were employed as consumers
and destroyers in the armies, and their
forced return to the ranks of producers,
there came the beginning of the change
which is going on. The competition
among laborers has become constantly
greater, and wages have been reduced.
Farm products have also declined in
price. We have come to the end of the
period of over-wrought and unnatural
stimulation. Business of all kinds has
been settlingdown into its properstatus.
Those who have not acted with foresight
and adapted themselves to the change,
are likely to pay the penalty o£a want
of sagacity. The money market seems
to be tight everywhere, with but little
sign of. a speedy relief.
The New Year dawns with indica
tions that it will be likely to witness
storms in the financial world. More
wisdom than the party now in power
lias shown will be required to secure
such a contraction of expenditures as
will ensure a material reduction of the
national debt, the establishment of full
confidence in the permanent value of
our securities, and eventual relief of the
people’from the enormous burthens of
taxation under which they now labor.
Corruption seems to have fastened upon
our public affairs with so firm a hold,
that we see little hope of that change
without which disasters are inevitably
destined to come upon us.
While we pass the compliments df
the season, and wish all “ a happy New
Year,” we do so without being able to
speak cheerily of the prospect before
the country. Tiie-government will find
the most puzzling problems presented
for eolutiou, and the greatest probity
and the most profound sagacity will be
taxed to their utmost to keep the ship
of State clear of the. breakers which
beset it on all sides. In the meautime
it will behove every individual citizen
to put liis own affairs oil
basis as will enable him to meet the
changes which are likely tospringfrom
a continued advance in the same line
which business has been taking for
some time past. Our flush times are
fairly over, and the day for rigid econo
my in national and personal Expendi
tures has fully come. Only by such
means can the individual citizen or the !
nation hope to reach a smooth sea of
future prosperity. The New Year is a
good tune for “ turning over a new
leaf.” Let it be promptly done where
ever it is needed.
What You Drink.
The Board of Excise in New York
have just completed a chemical analysis
of the various kinds of liquors sold at
the saloons of that city. The exhibit
made is well calculated to startle even
the most reckless drinker. Out of thirty
eight specimens of whiskey, which
were subjected to a chemical test, only
two were fofiud to be pure. The ingre
dients of which most of the “fine old
whiskeys ” were discovered to be com
posed were as follows: fusil oil, raucid
lamp oil, green tea, prussic acid, winter
-1 green and commodities
j sold as brandy and gin were found to bo
| made up of, compounds equally vile.
Some of U'e newspapers have beeu
makiug such exposures of late, but most
of these were set down as sensational,
and they did not attract much attention.
But the exposures made by the Board
of Excise are official, antHSay be relied
t upon as not exaggerated)
There was a time in thus country when
such rascally liquors was
unknown. We once heard au old man
j say, “ when I was young people who
got tight got sober again, without being
much the worse of it; but now the men
who drink seem to become crazy.”
The evil effects of drinking have beeu
multiplied an hundred-fold bythesevile
aud most wucked practices. It is safe
to say that a large proportion of the
liquors sold are absolutely poisonous.
Those who drink thgq? Jo it at the risk
of the most terrible‘consequences. The
result of the rigid examination made by i
the Board of Excise of New York ought The Inauguration of Grant,
to open the eyes of the public. Laws : It is currently rumored in Washjug
should be passed in every .State punish- ton that Geueral Graut intends to break
iug with the severest penalties all who up and forever destroy the plebian cus
make or sell any adulterated liquors, tom of out of door inaugurations and
That would greatly decrease the horrors ' elaborate inaugural addresses. He has
of drinking. We com mend the subject intimated laconically to his man Friday,
to the careful consideration of our State ■ that he intends to be quietly sworn in,
Legislature; with the hope that the together with the Vice President, in the
dealers in liquors may not be able Seuate Chamber, without any parade,
to purchase a liceuse to poison the peo- The reaso'n for this change of base is
pie with impy*iity. Let a stringent law, i that the “coming mau ” is no orator,
with proper provisions for its effective t“ as Brutus is.” His speech, previous
enforcement be passed. , to kissiug the book, will be exceedingly
_. _ : brief, it is said. The course to be pur
sued will no doubt be duly announced,
so that enthusiastic admirers of the
! g r eatsmoker, who have been intending
j to make atrip to Washington for the
1 purpose of witnessing the inauguration
ceremonies, may be spared the expense
i a nd trouble. We have no doubt many
of them will feel quite disappointed.
Infanticide,
The crime of infanticide is becoming
fearfully common, and it is very rarely
punished. Once in a while the minions
of the law pounce dowu upon a friend
less creature, like Hester Vaughan, and,
through the carelessness or neglect of
counsel,aconviction may'follow; but the
vast majority of those who are really
guilty of child murder go on their way
undetected and unpuuished. The fiud- |
iug of the dead bodies of infants, with !
the marks of murder upon them, is an j
affair of almost daily occurrence in our :
large cities. During last year infanti
cides, which were brought to the notice
of the negligent authorities in Philadel- !
phia, amouuted to no less than ninety- !
four , and it is perfectly safe to suppose
that not one half were discovered. j
/ \fc3uch a state of affairs is shocking in I
extreme, and we do not wonderthat
humane people are anxiously casting ~, P . Cail overnmei, t'
-eqi for some means to check i A Congressional Commdtee will be
•a Horrible and growing crime of in- ' gln ,°. ae , lm °ny nest week “to
fanticide. In New York movementsare j Cer , am , R e !V e B over nment of
being madewhicb willnodoubtspeedily a O'“n 's epu lean m form.” Ne
result in the establishment of a found- gr °f d ° aot Vo f, tber ®’ aud a ™ 9t
ling hospital. Serious objections have ; J ° r ‘ y ,f. T t 0 V , ote the
been, heretofore, urged against the in- I ,Ca . *. c e ' at s tbe 011 cause
troductionofsuchestablishmentsamouß ° fCOmplam '’ and tbe ground for
us. They have been denounced as likely , tbe P ro P osed >avestigation.
to foster licentiousness, by furnishing 1 T ’
a ready means to females- for thf Badlca Idea or legtalatlon.
concealment of their shame. Much' f Sald L° rd Ru9e ;Mr- Hume,
eau be said on both sides of the quea- l at a .- S0C “ I d '““ er ' , bat d ° >'° u
tion, but we incline to the belief that 1 °, J ? a f u ll ?
humanity aud morality would both be Tbe palest good ‘V greateBt
subserved by theestaolisbmentof prop. "Twf’ Hu“e
erly regulated foundling hospitals In all . jj bat d ° y ° U greateat num '
our large cities. If they had a well con- ; be * ? " his lordship
ducted institution of that kind in Bos- 1 * umber one ■ l°rd,” was the
ton it is safe to suppose there would be i C °“ m ° Der ’ 9 .prompt reply,
a great decrease of the abortions which i our State Le Sislature, the
are said to be so common throughout Eadicals bave beeQ iu P ower , Pas, from
New England. Married women Would i winter to winter, furnished to the world
prefer to deposit their new-born babes a runDin 8 commentary upon theabove.
in the public cradle, rather than submit I , Ia . tbi9 l e 8 i9lati . OI J the y , have alw ays
the L , i look ed first to the i n terest of number one,
® methods which so i each member vieing with his felLow/fn
many of the Yankee matrons are now ; his eagerness to sell his vote for the
said to employ to prevent an increase of ((Jiighest cash price. And it has been the
family. The great increase of infanti- !^ e J" Congress, and in other
cide and the prevalence of abortion fur- : &e egis a
nish strong arguments in favor of the The negro militia of Arkansas are
es a ishment of properly regulated opening jails, removing prisoners and
foundling hospitals. shooting them, “LetusTiave peace.”
Sympathy with Traitors.
Some of the minor Radical journals
are so utterly unable to get out of the
rut In which their pens have been run
ning for past years, that they continue
to charge Democrats, on every occasion
which presents itself, with “sympathy
with traitors,” apparently deeming this
the most effective weapon that they
hold in their armory. They are so be-
their ideas, that they have
not yet been able to perceive that, the
war being over and the rebels all par
doned, there are no longer any traitors
to sympathize with.
They probably mean to say, that we
sympathize with those who formerly
were rebels, but who are now good
citizens of the United Btates, oc
cupied in repairing their fallen for
tunes and earning their daily bread.
But tLen these owl-eyed editors of Rad
ical organs have not yetgotit into their
wooden heads, that in declaring that we
Sympathize with these men in their
present unfortunate condition, instead
of charging us with anything blame
worthy, they are in reality bestowing
upon us high praise. The men of the
Bouth have laid down their arms; their
offences have been pardoned by the
Government; and what man with any
nobility of soul is there in all the world,
whose heartiest sympathies do not go
out to them iu their losses of .fortune,
and who does not bid them God speed
in the efforts which they are making
to regain their former prosperity. Can
not we, the victors, afford to be gener
ous? Is the pardon which has been
granted to our former foes, but a mock
ery and a sham, meaning nothing?
Ib our Union to be restored only in
name; aud hatred, not fraternal feeling,
to be its bond ? Truly one would think
so, judgiDgfrom the efforts which many
of the Radical newspapers are making
toprejudicethe North against the South,
and to create, rather than remove, feel
ings of dislike between the people of the
two sections. ■
Let them labor at their Ghoul-like j
work; as they delight in it, let them
feed upon the dead past, aud continue
to forget that the war is over. For our
selves, we are glad to believe that Peace
has come again. The people of the
South have our liveliest sympathies in
the misfortunes which the war has
them; and our most
earnest hope for their speedy recovery
from them. We can enjoy no higher
satisfaction, than in being fully credited
with the most ardeut sympathy with
these former rebels, who are now in full
communion with us in the Union.
A lone OplDlon,
The L’xj)rcss still clings to the belief
that the saintly Abraham was killed
by a woman, and savagely declares that
Mrs. Surratt was justly condemned, and
properly executed. We are really sur
prised at the promulgation of this opin
ion by our wretched cotemporary, as
we thought it would have better sense
than to so boldly ventilate a belief in
which it stands alone. Nearly every
body else, out of au insane asylum, no
matter what may be bis politics, fully
believes now that Mrs. Surratt was en
tirely innocent of all complicity in the
plot to assassin ate Lincoln. Two United
States Senators, Preston King and Jim
Lane, were so agonized at the thought
of the agency they had in procuring
her death, by preventing the President
from being approached by Miss Surratt
to secure her mother’s pardon, that they
committed suicide. This motive for
their self-destruction has been freely
stated in the newspapers and has never
been denied.
Tlie Government, too, after searching
all over the world for Mrs. Surratt's
son, was not able to secure his convic
tion after they had caught him; and
no one will be very ready to believe
that the son could be innocent and the
mother guilty. Our neighbor had bet
ter indulge in a lengthened season of
fasting aud prayer, aud then perhaps he
may "be enabled to see the truth as all
others see it.
Negro Outrages in the South
Negro outrages still continue iu the
South. In Arkansas the negro militia
are maltreating white men iu the most
outrageous manner, and as the privates
wear no uniform, and it is impossible
to distinguish them from the other ne
groes, except by their arms. Georgia
} is overrun with the black banditti.—
I They recently murdered a white man
I near Savannah, and when the ruffians
j were arrested, the officers were sur
| rounded by armed negroes, who rescued
| the prisoners, disarmed and robbed the
| Sheriff and party, destroyed the war
| rants and threatened to kill them if
1 they ever Served a process again in' the
vicinity. Tne negroes then separated
into squads and marchad back to the
plantations, avowing they would have
the heart’s blood of eyery white man
on the Ogeechee, saying “ the war ha 9
commenced.” This is the condition of
things in many of the Southern States,
and yet the Radical journals clamor for
more troeps to protect the “ wards of
of the nation.”
Negroes In the Public Schools.
A negro contention held at Pittsburg
I lias put forth if protest'against making
; any distinction between blacks and
whites iu the public schools of the State.
They demand the right of admission of
blacks to the high schools, and full
equality in otherrespects. They petition
the Legislature to pass a law enforcing
their demands. The Radicals have a
good big majority, and wo will see
whether they will aetup to the advanced
ideas of their party.
Quarreling Orer the Spoils.
The Radicals are quarreling over the
prospective spoils under Grant. A con
siderable wing of the party has no con
fidence in him, and it is currently re
• ported that the Tenure of Office Bill
will not be repealed! until assurance is
given that the patronage w ill be so dis
tributed as to satisfy interested mem
bers of Congress. The President elect
is naturally indignant at the prospect
of such ungracious treatment. He seems
to be indisposed to have bis official
powers abridged as those of Andrew
Johnson have been. This quarrel, be
ginning in Washington, has extended
over the whole country, and Radical
newspapers are now engaged la hunt
ing up accusations against politicians of
their party. The Harrisburg State
Guard is after a gang of thieves in this
State “ with a sharp stick.” It says:
The time is rapidly approaching when it
is to be practically demonstrated who will
control Grant’s patronage, and in the mean
time, there is considerabledoubtas to what
the President elect will do on this subject,
whether indeed, he will make a clean sweep
of those in place and give the offices to
others. Iq the midst of this doubt and per
plexity, there is evidently a deep laid plot
between Andrew Johnson and certain
huckstering Republicans, by which the
former is to turn the principal portion of
the desirable subordinate places in the Gov
ernment, over to the latter. There is a
clasS* of men in the Republican party who
seek to control Grant’s administration, not
to ensure the success of any well conceived,
practical policy of Government. There are
no schemes considered or digested to secure
public places by these men where they
would be able to promote the industry of
the country. We hear notning from these
combinations by which they prove that
they are laboring to reduce national taxa
lion. These are ail secondary objects with
the men who are seeking to control the
incoming administration, by getting pos
session, through Andrew Johnson, of all the
posilious where control of the reyenues i*
conferred. There is no longer any doubt
that Republicans are bargaining with John
son for tho purpose of forestalling the pa
tronage of the Grant administration. We
have had evidence of the fact already, in
the nomination of such men as Alexander
Cummings for Commissioner of Internal
Revenue, and the Republican party was
only saved trorn demoralization by the re
fusal of the Senate to confirm Cummings.
! The thunder of the above paragraph
J is directed agaiost Simon Cameron and*
| his friends. Whether the “Biglndian”
1 and his followers are any more corrupt
thau 1 heir opponents is a question which
has never been decided. If the dirt
could be scraped off either set, we fancy*
that the skeleton of an honest man
could scarcely be found among them all.
Their exposures of each other will have
a tendency to enlighten a most inatten
tive public, and the quarrel over the
spoils, which is already becoming so
lively, may lead to an exposure of some
of the rascalities of the Radical leaders
of this State, and thu9 be productive of
good. Let it go on, say we. It is a
free fight and we feel like Betsey’s hus
band when the beartackeled her.
For the Intelligencer.
The Public Schools of Columbia, Pn.
Mkssrs Editor: You would confer u
I favor on the writer of this article, aud I be
■ lieve ou this community, by inserting the
following communication in your indepen
dent and ably conducted journal, and by
complying with the request of publishing
the “ Rules for the Government of the Pub
lic Schools of Columbia, Pa.” Tho reason
for asking you to do so is because I want to
know if these rules empower the teachers to
compel Cathcflicchildren to say prayers and
to sing b3’inus according to the formula of
said teacher’s doctrine. It is a fact which
cannot be denied, that some of those teachers
have gone so far in this matter, as to whip
aud beat with u ruttun children who refused
from conscientious motives to say these
prayers, and to sing those hymns; and fur
ther when those children told said teachers
that their parents did not allow of their
saying such pruyers in reply they were told
that they were now in school and must do
so. Now I was always of opinion thut the
Constitution of our country, aud the laws of
our Stale gave us the right to pray and wor
ship God according to the dictat- sof ourown
conscience, and thatcousequently our child
ren were not to be whipped aud beaten at our
public institutions oflearniug for hearken
ing to the bigotry of teachers who are paid
out of the mouies given by us in taxes—paid
to instruct our children iu the different sci
ences ; but not to interfere with their con
sciences in religious matters. You may
thiuk it strange that I write to you asking
the publication of ibis article —I wrote a
similar one last week, and sent it to the
office of the Herald\ but for leasons best
known to themselves they declined pub
lishing it, although I stated in it that I wrote
with the best rnotivesaud with the intention
of promoting good will among all classes.
And I firmly believe that the leuvmg oil' of
such {.radices as have been referred to
would assist to promo.e this good feeling
among all the inhabitants of Columbia, and
therefore I have determined to use my iu
iluenco to put them down, without, how
ever, doing any injury to the parties by
bringing suit against them, or by publish
ing their names unless compelled to do so
by their future conduct with respect to our
children. More anon. Justitia.
Columbia, Jan. a, 1801).
We have not a copy of the rules
adopted by the School Directors of Co
lumbia Borough at hand, but we take
it for granted that they are so framed as
not to be violative of the laws of the
State, which prohibit the introduction
of any form of sectarianism into public
schools. It is a violation of the letter
and the spirit of the law so to conduct
any school as to make compliance .with
the rules adopted burthensome to the
consciences of any denomination of
Christians. '*
Murders In Philadelphia.
In ISG7 there were twenty-eight mur
ders committed in Philadelphia, and in
1868 thirty-nine. That is a very black
record for the City of Brotherly Love.
Some of these murders were of the most
horrible and revolting character, the
actuating motion being cold blooded
avarice. Until our Northern cities can
show a better record it will not do to
denounce the South as the land of blood
shed and violence. Such papers as For
ney’s Press would do well to look at
home.
The New York Times says the “his
tory of the Freedmen’s Bureau can now
be written.” Aud, if truly written, it
will exhibita record of extortion, wrong
and crime, such as the world has rarely
witnessed, aud which is a disgrace to
the civilization of theatre.
Another Swindling Dodge.
The Xew York swindlers have invented
a new method of doing business, the 7notius*
operandi of which is thus detailed : Some
lbw days ago an elegantly dressed lady,
accompanied by a well dressed gentleman,
entered the store of a prominent jeweler,
and asked to be showu some diamonds.
A costly tray was handed them by the
gentlemauly and obliging clerk, aud as
they were examining and “ choosing, com
paring and rejecting,” the clerk’s nttemion
wus attracted by the entrance of u man
who beckoned liim cautiously aside, and
showing a star conceuled beneath his coat,
informed the clerk that he was an officer
and that he had been watching the couple
at the counter for some time. He advised
the clerk not to interfere with them, but to
show them what they asked for, and if
they attempted to secrete anything be
would arrest them. The clerk soou noticed
that the couple stowed away several valua
bly diamond rings, and at thisjuuctui'han
other person entered the store, also bearing
a star beneath his coat, and at once tapping
the genteel pair on the shoulders, blaodly
requested the pleasure of their society at
the police station. The first otficer told the
clerk that the prisoners would have to be
searched, aud that he would return the
property in the course of an hour or so.
The confiding clerk assented, aud the pris
oners and captors disappeared. The pro
prietors have thus far looked in vain for
the return of the glimmering diamonds,
and the men who have a right to wear stars
are looking after the.pretended policemen.
A Town In Two States.
The thriving city of Bristol, about which
we hear so much in connection with Gen,
Mahone’s railroad plana, occupies rather a
singular position, and is something like
Bill Muggins' grocery in Lickskille, Lou
isiana. Bill’s shanty is erected across the
line dividing Texas and Louisiana. It is
against the Jaw to play cards in Louisiana,
and equally unlawful to sell whiskey iu the
Texau County. He gets over both these
difficulties by allowing all the gambling in
the Texas division of the and all
the guzzling in the Louisans apartment
The people of Bristol, according to the fol
lowing, which wo take from the Whig's
correspondent, occupy a doubtful status on
the States’ rights question:
** ia situuted partly in Virginia
and partly in Tennessee, the main street
being the line between these States. That
portion of the town lying in Virginia is the
larger, and is called Goodson, in honor of
Col. Samuel Goodson, to whom the land
originally belonged, and is in Washington
County, Va. Bristol proper is in Sullivan
County, Tenn. Each town has its own
Mayor and town officers; it is sometimes
called Bristol Goodson; by long usage the
two have become consolidated In name, but
not in government. The two combined
have a population of abput
A TRIP TO THE SOUTH,
EDITOBIAI SOTES, VII.
Salisbury is a town' of some 4,000 or 5,000
inhabitants, and is well built and handsome**
ly situated; but it does not give evidence
of present prosperity. Business does not
seem to be brisk and the place has a dead
look; it may, however, brush up when the
Western North Carolina Railroad, which
here branches off from the North CarolinS
Central, is finished to its Western Railroad
connections. This road runs dne West
through the centre of the State and traverses
its finest agricultural and mineral lands; it is
finished and is being operated for some GO
or 70 miles from Salisbury. Some of onr
party went ont on it and were greatly
pleased With the appearance of the coun
try. Two of them are about purchasing
an elegant farm on the line of the road, con
taining 1000 acres of first class land, good
bniidings and a fine steam Grist Mill; all
of which is offered to them for $11,000; the
mill alone must have cost more than half
of that Bum to build. The farm now brings
a money rent of $l5OO. and the mill is not
used.
Near the line of this railroad in Catawba
county are'situated the celebrated “Spark
ling Catawba Springs,” which are now the
great fashionable Bummer resort of the
people of North Carolina and adjacent
States. Ihe place is ownel and superin
tended by J. Golding Wyatt, formerly of
Baltimore, an exceedingly pleasant gentle
man, to whose very capable management
it owps a large part of its great popularity
The elegant buildings amply accommodate
the thousand guests who every summer
dwell iu them, seeking restoration of health
by the use of the Sulphur and other Min
eral Springs, Rod meanwhile eDjoymg the
fine scenery, the bracing atmosphere, the
pleasant drives, and the hunting and the
angling which are here afforded-them.—
For pleasant residence in summer there is
no country in the world like that which
skirts the Blue Ridge.
Salisbury is familiar to the people of the
North as the town wherein was located dur
ing the war one of the largest Confederate
depots for Union prisoners. The prison
stood on the edge of the town, in a level
field along the railroad. It was burned by
Gen. Stoneman when he reached Salisbury
in his raid at the close of the war ; and upoD
its site we saw nothing but a luxuriant
growth of the cotton plant. The location
seemed to be a healthy one, and we could see
no local cause for the great mortality which,
toward the close of the war, prevailed
among the prisoners. We visited the ceme
tery, where those who died wore buried. It
lies but a short distance from the prison, on
the sunny side of a gently sloping hill, and
is a square plot of ground strongly fenced
and very neatly kept. There are a number
of single graves around tho sides of the en
closure, each one with a head-board puinted
white, but comparatively few, with any in
scription upon them. Each one was
numbered, the highest numbor being
412, We sow the names of but
two Pennsylvania soldiers inscribed
upon these boards; one that of “John C.
McLean, Co. 11, 11th. Pa.;” and the other,
“ No. 402, E. Mathias, Co. B, Pa. Cnv., died
JuDe 8, 1865.” Across the middle of the
burial ground ran sixteen long mounds,
covering trenches filled with the dead, and
telling unmistakably of the rapidity with
which death had been doing its work.
Sometimes the interments were at the rate
of twenty-five a day and tho total number
buried here must be five or six thousand,
although some estimates make the number
twice as great. The real number slain and
buried here Dy the policy of Stanton in re
fusing exchanges of prisoners, will never
be known; but this cemetery will be an
enduring monument to its inhumanity.
We were in Salisbury ou tho first day of
December, and our Northern eyes were not
a little astonished at seeing roses in bloom
in front of the houses ; nor did wo gaze
with less surprise upon a man who
was busily engaged in sewing wheat
on a farm near tho edge of town ; but the
weather was so pleasant, lie may have
thought it was still September. In Vir
ginia the planters often sew wLeat as late
as November, because they have to harvest
their tobacco crop first, as they always put
in wheat as the next crop, thinking that
tobacco leaves the land in excellent condi
tion lor it; but they admit that the crop is
not so good as it would bo if it was sewed
earlier. In Carolina the planting is proba
bly delayed by the picking of the cotton,
which was not yet over when we were
there. This season has been a very favor
able one for cotton, as the weather continued
good and mild until December, and the
late cotton bolls had ample time to mature
and fully open. We are getting down into
the cotton country now, though it is only
largely planted as a crop from the lower
border of North Carolina, southward ; it
is successfully grown however, in a small
way by the planters even as high up as
the Southern tier of counties of Virginia.
We saw in Salisbury ibe office in which
Andrew Jackson studied law. It is near
the centre of the town, on a street running
parallel with the main business street, and
is a small one-story frame building about
10 feet by 12 feet in length and breadth .
it stands flush on tho street, at tho corner of
the yard in front of the dwelling in which re
sided his old preceptor Spence McKay. The
entrance to the office was from the yard ; it
comprised but a single room, and is now
rapidly falling into decay, the floor being
entirely rotted away. It was hard to real
ize that Jackson had studied for yoors in
that little room, and had been used to trav
erse these quiet streets; we could easily
understand, however, why he had taken
up bis staff and passed out from under the
Copal trees of this dull old town, to seek his
fortune on a more animated stage.
At night, bidding farewell to the kind
friends whom we had met in Salisbury, we
took the cars again and in about two hours
arrived at Charlotte, where we found excel
lent accommodations at the “Mansion
House.”
Charlotte is a beautiful little towu of some
3,(J00 or 4 ,(JUL> iuhabitauid aud is oue of ilie
most prosperous places we bare been iu ;
business seems to be.brisk, buildings are go
ing up, rents are high'aud money is worth
3 per cent, a month. A business communi
ty that can afford to pay that rate of interest
must be making money. On the morning
after our arrival our attention was attracted
by rows of country wagons standing on
one of the streets near the centre of the
town, just as our wagoDS used to stand in
Centre Square laden with cord wood, only
these were smaller and in larger numbers.
We found each one had aa freight one, two or
three bales of cotton, and their owners were
the smaller farmers of the adjaceut country,
who had come from a distance anywhere
inside of 50 or 00 miles to dispose of their
cotton and take back with them their win
ter’s supply of household necessaries. They
were uniformly dressed in the roughest
sort of homemade linsey-wolsey, and their
wagons were drawn by two or three horses
or mules, which never would have beeu se •
lected by Rosa Bonbeur as models of beauty.
These farmers bad now reached their mar
ket, and we were much interested in watch
ing their method of disposing of theirgoods.
Each bale of cotton weighs about 400 lbs,
and the price in Charlotte at the date of our
visit was about 22 cents per tb.; to get the
New York price about cents must be
added to this, to cover freight, insurance,
commissions, ifcc.' In this little town there
were some six or eight cotton buyers. Af
ter watching the market for some lime from
a little distance without beiDg able to com
prehend the various movements which
were going on, wo took our station by one
of the wagons for the purpose of getting a
clear understanding of the method of opera
tion. Presently some one camejup and asked
the owner of the wagon "Is your cotton
cut?” “No, not yet,” was the reply. What
did that man mean, I asked ; and he ex
plained to me that the six or eight brokers
took “turn about” in cutting and sampling
tne cotton, each “cutting” for one day.
Why, I asked, have you not had yonr cot
ten cut? “Oh! I thought I would wait till
late in the day, when the market would de
velop itself.” Just then, however, a man
came up and asked, “want vour cotton
cot ?” “Well, yes I believe I will now,” was,
the answer, and the broker holding in his
hand a large pocket knife with a strong
blade, plunged it into the side of a bale,;and
cut a slit six inches long in the coarse sack •
ing enveloping it; then forcing both hands
deep into the opening be draws forth a por
tion of the cotton; hastily pdlJlng out the
fibre and examining the.quality, he says,
“Want to sell?” Answer, (hesitatingly)
“Well—yes;” “Want to sell now or try
the market?” The owner deliberates.
“Quick,” Bays -the broker, “I’m in a
hurry.” The owner, with much' hes
itation, finally answers, “Well, that’s
my usual way—guess I’ll sell.” “Give
you 21i, tjiat is £he top of the market,”
quickly replies the broker, “ drive around
to the store.*' “ Well, I*ll take it, though
I’d hateit.if it would go to 22 cents by noon.”
And while mylcountry friend was picking
up the reins, I ha«ton>‘d to ask biro what
was meant by asking bini i f ho would “sell
or try the market.” * : Weil, you see,” he
said, “If I had wanted to try the market
he would only/have offered me 21} cents,
aud would have banded me the specimen
cotton he had cat out; then I would have
had to go around to all the other buyers
and have run the risk of not getting the
other } cent bid.” This accounted for the
“linsey-wolseyB*’lhad seen traveling about
the street and dropping in and out of stores,
bearing in their hands large bunches of
cotton. They were “ trying the market.”
They would offer their sample to a buyer,
whose first question would bo, “ What
were you bid?” “ 21} " would be the reply;
“giveyou 21§;” and away the sample would
go to another buyer. He secured it who
bought the closest, either because he bad
the most pluck, or the largest order to fill,
or expected to pay’ part in trade; we were
told that the farmers never unrepresented
the bid which had been made them “ lo trv
the market ou' which speaks well for their
honesty. Charlotte is quite a cotton mart,
and drains a good deal of country.
There area great number of large aud
handsome residences in it. Like all the
bouses in the S'Suth, they are with one or
two exceptions frame buildings and all
with entries through the middle, of all
styles of architecture, but generally a
square or parallelogram, invariably having
large verandas or porticos and with hand
some yards in front. The residences in
Southern cities and villages are as a rule,
much handsomer than those on the plan
tations; there is but one thing to detract
from their beauty, and that is the abomi
nable custom which is universally preva
lent of building tbechimnevs on theoutside
of the houses ; ibe red brick chimneys run
ning up along the white painted wood of
the bouse, give it an unfinished look and
are so very unsightly, that it made us nerv
ous to look at them ; the projection itself
of the chimneys otfV-nds a Northern eye,
but this wo might eudure if the color was
only made to correspond with that of the
house.
Cnstar’s Indian Captives.
Field Correspondence of the N. Y, Herald.
During the first few days of the captivity
of the squaws of Black Kettle’s band of
Cheyennes there was considerable anxiety
felt by them. They all expected to be killed
in retaliation of the atrocities committed by
their bund. At first the wouuded ones re
fused to go to the hospital, fearing they were
the first singled out for vengeauce. The sol
diers talking to each other notintonesthe
most gentle and euphonious and in a lan
guage they did not understand, they con
strued it into a.controversey as to when and
how they were to be disposed of. Incon
stant dread of wbut disposition was to
be made of them, several of the squaws
visited General Sheridan’s interpreter, Mr.
Curtis, aud asked whether they were all to
be killed. When assured that the white
man did not kill women and ckildreu for
what the warriors did, they felt materially,
relieved. Since then the wounded squaws
have appeared more lively and exhibited
an unusual feeling of gratitude for the kiud
treatment they have been receiving. This
feeling they manifest by shaking hands
with the surgeon whenoyer he visits them.
The most remarkable instances of fortitude
are exhibited in the cases of the wound
ed Indian children. The desperation of the
fighting at the battle of the Washita on the
part of the savages may be judged from
the fact that no male prisoners were taken
over eight years old, the rest taking up
arms and joining in the light. There are
now in the hospital several very young
boys und girls badly wounded, but from
not a single one of them has come the
slightest audible indication of their suffer
ing; yet tho expression of their face, the
wild glance of their eyes, betray that they
do suffer. During such painful operations
as probing and cleansing out their
wounds, placing the thumb on one tem
ple and stretching the hand across the
forehead, fixing the second finger ou
the temple opposite, they close their
eyes aud patiently submit to such op
eratiocs as the teachings of surgery require.
One little girl, about'six years of uge, has a
bullet hole through her body on the left,
side, and yet'she sits up and makes no
complaints. All the wounded squaws and
children rode in on their ponies, refusing to
have any thing to do with ambulances. An
other singular feature of the wounded is the
peculiarly otleusive |odor of.the sloughing
wounds.
The well squaws are still encamped :wUh
tho cavalry, aud seem to be contented with
their lot. The male children amuse them
selves throwing reeds, as if they were
spears, at different objects, thus displaying
the cultivation of their expanding merit as
future warriors.
The Jlyslcrloiis Jlllllon Hint i*t lying
Aiuiuid Loose.
From ti.c Mo; iJe Kegister, Dec. Cl.
Our pro's despatches of yesterday tnorn
iug embraced ti.e lo; lowing paragraph:
“ A Treasury agent at M obile telegraphed
Secretary McCulloch from Mobile, report
ingitbo discovery of SI,ouO,OUU in gold be
longing to the Cuuiederate Government,
which parties were endeavoring to get out
of the country. McCulloch telegraphed the
agent to take an escort and get possession of
the property.”
Perhaps our readers need to know who
Ibis so-called “Treasury agent” is. His
name is William Jones, and will be well re
membered in Confederate times as an indi
vidual then residing iu Mobile, who eloped
to the Federal lines, and afterward piloted
Com. Farragut’s fleet into Mobile Bay. Not
content with that exploit, he consented to
give us the benefit of his valuable citizen
ship again, and has beyu spending his time
in seeing how he can make a little black
mail money and at the same time celebrate
his “ loyalty” by noising out something to
the injury of some of hi.s'fellow-citizens.
This spy has taken it into his head that there
are a million of dollars iu gold m oue of the
Mobile banks, which wu.i Confederate
money—therefore, t.s Federal money. We
heard of his capers some days ago, and bow
he had set a watch on these respectable
banks, and was trying to rope some decent
people into bis “ loil” speculations. If the
telegraph is to be believed, lie has imposed
on the Secretary of the Tieiisurv, If the
latter officer is very gullible, M r. Jones will
lead him into a ridiculous snarl. As for the
gold million, it is all in Mr. Jones’ eye.
Considering the antecedents of this enter
prising citizen, we would suppose that his
proper role here would be to “ let us have
peace.” .Shadiness suit his case. They do
say he is aiming to be Gen. Gram’s Collec
tor of the Port-of Mobile—au appointment
eminently “ fit to be made,” seeing that he
does not know how to write a readable let
ter.
Attrocious Startler Near Sblppensbar;,
The town of Sbipponsburg and vicinity,
Cumberland county, was thrown into great
excitement on Friduy, by the report that
Henry Stem, a stranger, bad been found
about two miles from that place with his
throat cut from ear to ear and his skull
crushed. Suspicion immediately centered
on Adam Titus, then at Shippensburg, who
was arrested and imprisoned. After an in
quest bad been held on the body of the
murdered man the prisoner was brought
face to face with the supposed victim of his
hellish depravity. While looking upon his
inanimate form he blanched, thereby con
firming the suspicions of his guilt. When
interrogated as to his association with him,
he acknowledged that he bad been in bis
company and that they had quarreled,
whereupon he bad struck Stem. The two
were seen together, at intervals, from Mon
day until Wednesday. The murder is sup
posed to have been perpetrated on the lat
ter day. It appears that Titus had been
absent from home a few days, and upon his
| return his family inquired where he had
: been. Answering them evasively they
I made an examination around the premises,
1 when they found the murdered man buried
| on the bank of a pond, a abort distance
! from the house, with his person mutilated
as above described. The horrible crime
was committed for the purpose of getting
about forty dollars, which he was known to
have had in his possession. Titus’ family
were tbo first to communicate the facts of
the discovery of the body of Stem and of
the supposed complicity of Titus in the
tragedy. The murderer is now in the
county jail, at Carlisle, Cumboclnnd county, j
—Harrisburg Patriot. u !
A Generous Kallrouri.
\ The Lehigh Valley Railroad has given
official notice that on and after January,
! 1860, all editors, schoolmasters, and rninis
[ ters of the gospel will be passed free of
. charge over that road upon showing their
I certificates of office. This courtesy and
; liberality is characteristic of the gentleman
J who presides over the Lehigh Valley rail
i roud. The only fear is that his generosity
I may be abused by impositions. Judge
. Packer, the great patron of this road, is one
| oi the yery few gentlemen who baveacquir
; ed great wealth without a concurrent growth
j of avarice, that evil that is so fatal to the
i owner’s of great public good. It is known
j that Judge Packer bas made a munificen 1
! gift of a college and grounds at Bethlehem, I
in this State, which he has handsomely en-
W T d ’ aßd has all tbr °ugh the yalleys of
the Lehigh and the Wyoming set up eveD
more lasting monuments of bis enterprise
arid liberality. That he should lead off in
offering a seat, free, to an intelligent and
aeserving class, illy able to pay for a ride ,
over his road, which in grandeur and na- :
tural scenery is unsurpassed, is quite char- !
actenstic of him. —Philadelphia Ledger. \
California Election.
* The official statement of the vote of Cali
fornia at the recent Presidential election,
gives the highest Republican vote, 64 592 to
formerly of Augusta,
Me. The average vote for Presidential
electors was—Republican, 54,574; Demo
cratic, 54.062, a Republican majority of 512.
The total vote was 108 670, a gain of 1695
over 1864, but smaller than the vote of 1860
by ten thousand, and two thousand less
than in 1656. The Congressional vote varies
from the Presidential, giving a Democratic
majority of 675. AxteU in the First Dis
trict has 5551 majority, and Johnson in the
Third bas 264 majority—a total Democratic
majority of 3815. The Republican majority
for Sergeant in the Second District is 3140.
The political complexion of the California
delegation will be unchanged In the new
Congress.
THE LATE IUSSAOBE.
The Wight Attack on Black Kettle's
fCorrespondence of the New York Tribune.]
"We had marched for days through sage
weeds, woods, morass and sand, tedious
ly, pereeveringly. We had'laced the pelt
ing storm ofanow, wading wearily through
its increasing depth, from its first fall; and
had taken brief snatches of sleep upon Its
soft, cold bed at night. We had finally
abandoned our train and supplies, and had
marched all day on the enemy’s trail; and
turning our backs upon the setting sun at
night, steadily and yigorously pushed on ;
at times nearly falling from our saddle with
sudden sleep. It was after midnight when
two Osage Indian scouts in the advance an
nounced that they smelt the smoke of a
wood fire, a fire which we came upon
after going about a mile further. Around
it were traces of Indian boys who-had
been herding ponies. On we pushed
again, the crisp-frozen snow rustling
softly under the horses’ feet, and onr
long, dark column, winding through the
valley like a huge black monster. Not a
voice could be beard. Ten miles more
were passed, and the scouts, who were
ascending elevated ground, suddenly
wheeled their horses and quickly moved
to the rear, reporting that pootes were
grazing nearly a mile ahead of us, and
that a village was doubtless in tbo woods
beyond, which skirts the stream in tho
valley. Strict silence was observed, but
no white man who looked 2ould, by the
utmost straining of the eyes, see a living
object where the telescopic vision of these
Indian scoots had discovered so much.
Soon a night-glass verified the presence of
the animals. The officers were assembled
by General Custar, and all cautiously crept
up to tbe crest of the hill overlooking the
valley below, and tbe surroundings were
carefully noted. It was a momeut of ex
ultation, and tbe General's enthusiastic in
structions were quickly aud eagerly given
and received. The hour was now about 2
o’clock A. M. Quietly the squadrons
marched around to their respective posi
tions, and there rested for tbe signal of the
first gray tints of morning. It camo at
last; ana, as tho band struck up “Garry
Owen,” tbe platoous swept down with
a yell from every side upon the doom
ed village. The savages sprang into
ditches and holes, and behind trees
and bushes, and opened a raking
fire from every direction with bullets aud
arrows. Some fled with the terror stricken
squaws and papooses, fighting as they ran.
,These strove hard to reach the ponies to
mount; but very few succeeded in doing
so. Sharp and loud rang the ruttling car
bines, echoed back by the hills and bluffs
on every side. Swift and sure rode the
troopers, whose lines soon extended across
the valley, furiously tearing after the flying
enemy—many of whom bit the snow
miles beyond their village, where their
bodies were not ufterward seen nor counted.
Two platoons were dismounted to fight to
betteradvaotageamong the bushes. Grad
ually ail the Indians were hunted from
their cover, like wild animals whoa escape
is cut off, and the fire slackened. Oue hun
dred and three bodies wore found arouud
the village proper, but many wounded es
caped. A few of tbe squaws took part in
tbe fight using pistols. Others were
spared, except those wbo bad been seen to
murder while captive children in their
hands. Theso instantly met with the fate
of their warrio'f braves. The ground was
strewn with blankets, robes uud clothing,
shed by the fugitives. Neatly 1,000 aui
mals (horses, ponies and mules) were
surrounded and driven in by detachments
when tbe fight opeued. A great many
rifles, pistols, saddles, lariats, bridles,
robes, etc., wero tuken ; also, large quan
tities of ammunition, dried meat, and |
other food, all of which we destroyed, to
gether with tbe fifty one lodges. When
the squaws and children wero overtaken,
collected together, aud turned back in their |
flight, they defiantly and resignedly chant-’
ed their wur or death songs. Even the
youngest did this, expecting to be put to
death. Captain Louis Hamilton, Major J.-
H. Elliott, and Brevet Lieutenant-colonel
A. Barnitz fell in the fight. Black Kettle
had for some time been disposed to keep
peace with tho whites, but hud beon over
ruled by bis tribe. At the first sound of
horses’ feet, when the cayalry approached,
he sprang outside bis lodge aud sounded tho
war-whoop, thou shouted tbe whiles
were coming to kill them all, and that he was
glad of it. Thus he lei! and died with his faith
less braves, though “seeking for tbe\right.”
The village had no sooner been takeh than
swarms of mounted Arrapahoe warriors
approuebed at full speed from their village
a few miles below, drawn hence by the
sound of fire-arms. They begun circling
around the village, after their custom—now
dashing up and firing, now retreating iu
crooked circling courses behind hills and
knolls. They cut off a lew of our bravest,
but more imprudent men. Yet we well
know that many a pomp-saddle was empt
ied ere those lew full. The battle is over,
and the field covered with dead animals
and sayages, muddy and smeared, aud
lying upon each other in holes auil ditches.
The field resembles a vast slaughter-pun,
We have fifty-five prisoners.
Oaring Ilobbory ami Murder in Sciv
One of [he most dastardly and daring out
rages ever committed m tins oily was perpe
trated yesterday morning, when mi unof
fending citizen was assaulted and robbed
in front of his own door in broad daylight,
and then mortally wouuded because he tie
feuded himself and bis property. It ap
pears that as Mr. Charles M. Rodgers, aged
sixty, aud formerly well known and es
teemed a.s the genial superiuiemlont of the
St. Nicholas Hotel, was engaged in sweep
ing the area of bis dwelling, -hi Rast'.Twelftb
street, where he keeps a boarding house, he
was suddenly assaulted by two unknown
men, at seven o’clock vesterduy morning,
who first robbed him of his gold watch
and chaiu, and then stabbed the unfortu
nate gentleman in order to escape his
clutches.
The assassins left one of tbeirhats behind
them, ns well as theshentbof the kuite used
in the struggle with such dreadful purpose
and effect, and Mr. Rodgers found that he
had pulled off the skirt otihe man’s coat who
had assaulted and robbod him,in the pocket
of which wassubsequently found tbe proper
ty stolen from him. As the wound sustained
by Mr. Rodgers was deemed to be of a fatal
character by tne physician summoned to
attend him, Coroner Flynn wascalled upoD
to take the auti-mortem statement, which
proved to bo ns follows:
“I rrm proprietor of a ooarding house at
No. 42 East Twelfth street. About 7 o’clock
A. M. I went out to sweep the sidewalk,
and while sweeping the area two men came
along. One was a short man and the other
a tall one. I had never seen either ofthern
before. The short man took off his coat, a
white one, and handed it to the other;
whereupon the tall man said, ‘Don’t, Jim,’
and went across toe street. The short
man then attacked me, brandishing a
largo knife in bis hand. Ho made several
strokes with the knife at my bead, which
cut my hat through. I then clinched with
him, with the view of protecting my
self. While thus struggling he seized my |
watch and chain and took them forcibly |
from me. He also took my wallet from my j
pantaloons pocket. While he was robbing I
me I shouted ‘Murder,’ when he stabbed j
mein the left side. Immediately after 1 !
cried out he ran across tbe street and took I
bis coat from his companion. I also saw j
him throw something away.” ■
The police of the the Fifteenth ward have ;
as yet obtained no clue to the identity of j
the two men who committed the outrage ,
H. Y. Herald. !
Reconstruction Movement lit Virginia.
Richmond, Jan. 2.— For two days past a
conference of some of the leadingtneo of this
State has been in session, attended by the
Hon. A. H. IJ. Stuart, of Staunton; llou.
Thos. E. Flournoy, formerly Whig candi
date for Governor ; John L. Marye, Jr., the
present Conservative candidate for Attor
ney General; Wyndhani Robertson, for
merly Whig Acting Governor of tbe State ;
Geo. W. Bolling and Jns. F. Johnston, for
mer Whig Senators ; Frank G. Puffin, Gen.
John Echols, W. T. Sutberlin and others.
Last night they agreed upon a preambleand
resolutions, which set forth that wnile the
people of Virginia do not believe that tbe
negroes in their uneducated condition are
as yet fit for suffrage, yet in view of the ex
pression of public opinion in the recent
national election, and in tbe bopo of restor
ing harmony and union, tney are willing
to accept universal suffrage coupled with
universal amnesty. A committee of nine
was appointed to visit Washington and
urge Congress to legislate so as to secure
these to the people of tbe Stale.
The committee was composed of A. H. 11.
StuaM, Wyndham Robertson, J. B. Bald
win, James Neeson, W. T. Sutberlin, John
L. Marye, Jr., J. F. Slaughter, James F.
Johnson and W. L. Owen.
I A resolution was adopted, recommending
tbe people of the State tc hold a convention
on February 10, In Richmond, to receive the
report of the committee and arrange for the
canvass. This conference is the result of a
movement on the part of the *• Do-some
things” as distinguished from the “ Do-no
things ; ” the former desiring to make some
advance towards meeting tbe reconstruction
acts and to avert the disability and test
oaths, etc., of tbe new constitution, and the
latter believing that tbe peopia of the Stale
should under no circumstances sanction
negro suffrage, which they believe to be
disastrous and degrading.
Horrible Railroad Accident.
Yesterday afternoon, about three o’clock,
Robert D. Neidig, front brakeman on a
freight train running between Harrisburg
and Marysville, fell from a car, and caught
in the machinery. The particulars of the
accident are horrible in the extreme.—
From the blood discovered be is supposed
1 to have fallen from the train about a half
mile beyond the Harrisburg stock yard.—
He was dragged along the track a distance
miles, with bis head down
ward, before his sad fate was known.—
When extricated from the machinery of
the car from which be was precipitated be
was unrecognizable. His skull was eiush
ed, his eyes protruded from their sockets,
his iace was badly mangled and his right j
arm and leg severely bruised. Tbe de- j
ceased resided about three miles north of
this city. He leaves a wife and ono child
to mourn his untimely end.
Inauguration of Mayor Fox.
Jan. 2.
Yesterday Daniel M. Fox was inaugura
ted Mayor of Philadelphia- Speeches were
made by the retiring official and by Mayor
Fox. The address of Mayor Fox was well
timed and very- appropriate. The Ledger
and other papers oppose any attempt to re
strict the powers of tbe Mayor, os has been
suggested by the Radicals,
Particulars of «be Suicide of airsv
Dldtens.
It has already been announced that Mrs.
Dickens, widow of the late Augustus S.
Dickens, and sister-in-law to Charles Did. -
ens, the well-known English novelist, w *
round dead in her bed on Christmas day .1
her residence in Chicago. The 7\mes ■■l
uiat city, published on Sunday, gives ii •
following additional particulars. She a <
children were invited to a party, gi< '
on Christmas eve, by Mnu Lawrei
cousin to her husband. Mrs. Dickens *li.
not go herseir, but sent her children t •!
the following note, explaining her absei ■ r .
44 Dear Emily: After seeing you yes • r
day, somebody relieved me of*my piuttL
and its contents. The affair htm worried me
so that I have concluded not to accept your
invitation for myself, but to let the children
come. Please see them safely to the cars;
or, if too late after your festivities, keep
them all night, but be sure aud send them
home early in the morning, as we are an
ticipating a merry little dinner to morrow.
4 *.Bkrtiia. m
“ The children parted fondly from their
mother, little thinking tbey would never
again see her aliye. They went to the party
with light hearts, and enjoyed fheraselveg
to the top of their bent. When the fun and
frolic had ended, it was found too late for
them to go home, so Mrs. Lawrence kept
them until the next morning. She then
placed them on the cars, and they reached
the house about noon. Going to the door
they knocked, but no answer was returned;
all was still and siient as the grave. Sup
posing their mother was at Mrs.
next door, they weut in aud asked that j
lady, who in return asked them if their
mother bad not gone over to Mrs. Law
rence’s. She had not, nor was she at Mrs.
Barnard’s, therefore sho must be at home.
After further knocking without effect, Mr.
Barnard entered the house by raising a
window, and then opCued the front door.
Mrs. Barnard and theebildren entered ;lhe
former going directly to Mrs. Dicken’s
room, where she found her in bed, her head
resting on one hand, the other lying ou the
counterpaue. Her face was composed and
as natural as if she were in a deep sleep,
and so it proved that she was in the sleep
that knows no waking. Mrs. Barnard found
the body quite warm and soft. Dr. Seifert,
wbo lives opposite, was at once sent for,
and, on examining, pronounced lifeextinel,
and that death was caused by an overdose
of morphine.
“ By the side of tho bed were found two
bottles, one of them nearly full of morphine
and the other empty. An empty wine
glass, in which traces of morphine were
discernible, stood near tho bottles. The
scene that took place* when the little ones,
who came home to partake of Christmas
tare, ami found tbey Uud uo mother any
more, may be imagined.
•‘lt seems that for about eight months
Mrs. Dickens has been in the tak
ing morphine to allay the pain of severe
attacks of neuralgia, to which she was a
victim. (,»n Chrismas eve she told Mrs.
Barnard that her stock ut morphine was
nearly exhausted, and requested her to get
her a supply at the druggist’s. Mrs. Hur
uard dul so. This accounts for the two
bottles found by tho bedside, one of
which was empty, aud the other,
tho one which Mrs. Barnard purchased,
was nearly full, showing that but little ot
it had been used. It would seem ihat she
took too much of the narcotic by mistake.
It is not generally believod that she com
mitted suicide, as she had made every pre
paration for Christmas dinner the turkey
was in tho sidehourd ready for roasting, the
children’s candy and the raisins and other
ingredients for a plum pudding were in the
house. .She also expected iier children
home, ami iu tho note to Mrs. Lawrence
enjoyed by anticipation in tho family
gathering around the Christmas bonrd. It
is true that a small pecuniary loss incurred
on Wednesday preyed upon her mind, and
may have produced melauoholy. Tho fol
lowing letter explains the matter:
No. .'»(»S North Ci.ark Street, )
December 2iid, lSb*. }
Gentlemen : Dunnga necessary visit to
the city yesterduy I was unfortunately re
lieved of tny purse, (either iu some crowded
storo or car) which'contained a certificate of
deposit on your bank for fIOO, (unsigned).
I therefore protnpiy caution you not to pay
to any other person than myself the same 05
any smaller amount, unless applied for in
person by your much obliged '
Bertha I*. Dickens.
To the President «f the Third yatwnul Hank,
Chieai/o :
“This letter shows that she was not in
pecuniary distress, ami that she contem
plated (“ailing at the bank in person. Be
sides the cerliticuto of deposit there was
only a small amount of currency in her
pocket book. .She was at Mrs. Burnurd’s
at live o'clock on Christmas eve, and was
seen again by one of the family ut nine
o’clock. She made a call on Mrs. Pease,
one of her acquaintances, the same evening.
All these persons state that she was in good
spirits, cheerful and bright. On the other
hand it is known that for some timo back
she bad been reading a work on morphine,
which goes to show either thut her mind
was ruuniug on the subject of poisons, or
that, as she used morphine so much, she
wished to acquaint herself with its prop
erties and effects.
“The deceased was born in England some
thirty-nine years ago, Her lather was Mr.
Phillips, apromineut London solicitor, and
her brothers and sisters move in respectable
society in England. When death made her
a widow she hiijl three young children de
pending upon her. She was dependent the
bounty of her 'father and brothers, from
whom she received the money that built tho
house in which she lived. Her father died
about a 3'ear ago, leaving bor enough to
rear her children respectably. TbqA-hib
dren are three, two l>oys and a girl—Ber
tram, a manly little lad of twelve years;
Adriun, an intelligent boy of eight years,
and Amy, u pretty and interesting girl of
six years. Fortunately tbey have some
kind friends in the city.’’
The New York Post gives tho following
in relation to Mrs. Dickens and her bus
band
Wo have board from persons who know
her Ibat the late Mrs. Dickens was a highly
educated and accomplished woman; she
was of blameless life, and a lady in man
ners and eonversHtii.n. Ller husband, Au
gustus Dickens, was a drunken and worth
less creature, who made his wife’s hfo
miserable, kept her in poverty and loft
her to want Those who knew both
persons in Chicago appear to have
no doubt that she wua • tbo superior
ol her husband In education, refinement
and virtue. For the sake of tbo little
children sbo has left behind her it is to be
hoped that American newspapers \vill not
be tempted to blacken herjcharactor out of
a mere love of scandal, whether she was
the lawful wife of Augustus Dickens or not,
she was his faithful and long-sudering com
panion for muny years; ho alwuys intro
duced her to his friends as his wile; she
was the mother of his children; she bore
patiently with his very serious and often
disgusting faults; her labor supported his
childron when his did not.” '
Tlie Niory of 51 rn. Augustus Dickens.
Mr. Horace White addresses tbo follow
ing letter to a morning paper:
“I notice in your issue of this date a
statement that Mrs. Augustus Dickens,
who committed suicide in Chicago on
Christmas eve, was not the widow of tho
deceased brother of Charles Dickens, bin
that iha real Mrs. Augustus Dickens is liv
ing in London, and is supported bv her
brother in-law, the eminent novelist. There
are. I believe, three little children of the
late Augustus Dickens living in Chicago,
who now, in additioo to their other misfor
tunes, are deprived of the tenderand loving
care of their mother. Tnis circumstance
deterred me from telling wlmt I knew,
when my eye fell upon the telegram an
nouncing the death of Mrs. Dickens. Since
the essential facts in the case have become
public without an agency of mine, I shall
attempt to do justice to the living
without disrespect to the dead, by giv
ing you so much of the history of this
case as has been communicated to ine.
” Mr. Augustus Dickens whs a brilliant i
| scapegrace, who abandoned disown wife in
j England am) ran awuy to America with
I Miss llerlhu Phillips, the daughter of an in
surance agent in London—a young lady of !
many attractions and accomplishments. I j
have heard thyt after arriving at an inter- !
ior town in Illinois, and having resided :
* here a sufticient lengt h ot time, he procured 1
a divorce from bis wife and married Miss !
: Phillips ; but ol this 1 have no personal j
| knowledge. 11 is certain that she was thence- i
! forward treated by her own parents as Mrs. j
Dickens, and that she received a small be- I
quest in her father's will ns ‘ Mrs. Bertha J
Phillips Dickons ’ Nevertheless, the former ;
Mrs. Dickens lived and still lives in Lon- ,
den. She is now aMicied* with blindness, !
and is supported by Charles Dickens.
*' When Mr. Dickens visited this country
last year, and received a large surn of money
Irom his readings, a portion of which he
bestowed in charity upon strangers, tho
press of Chicago, including the journal with
which I am connected, commented upon
the lact that he had done nothing for those
who had the most obvious claims upon him,
and of whose ne< essities he could not be
iguorant. The Eastern press attributed
these remarks to spite, because Mr. Dickens
had not included Chicago in the list of cities
in which he was to give his readings. I am
sure there was no such fcoliogas this evoked
at any time—certainly not in my own case. i
There wus, however, an imporiunt misap- I
prehension of lacts. It is easy now to see j
why Mr. Dickens could uot visit Chicago,
If be bad done ho he must either recognize
Mrs. Bertha Phillips Dickens, to the injury/'
of the other M ra. Dickens, or by refusing to
do so expose her to contumely. It is easy
to see also why he contributed nothin.to
her support. A glimmering of
was given to the public in the London cor
respondenceof The Botston Daily■AjXvcrti.ier,
but without the knowledge* privity of
Mr. Dickens.
“These facta came m JP knowledge
■ through the kindness oi a literary friend in
London, a few day 4 before Mr. Dicken’H
departure from t^* B . co . u £t r y« Much as I
desired to repa^ f the injury that had been
done him, it *as impossible to do
so without inflicting the greatest barm upon
Mrs. Die* enB - I understand that Charles
Dickers has always been solicitous that the
lady in question should receive no other
injury from his family than she had already
/received; that b'e wished her well, and that
be was willing to do, or to forbear doing,
anything not inconsistent with bis duties to
the more afflicted woman his brothor Au
gustus had left In England.
“ It only remains to add that Mrs. Bertha
Phillips DjckoDs twhom I* never saw)
bore an unblemished reputation at Chicago.
Upon the clecease of her husband she was
left destitute, with three infant children to
support and educate. She was faithful to
those whom God committed to her care.
Her noble struggle with poverty was I
alleviated in a great degree by the kind- I
hearted gentlemen of the Land Department
of the Ilflnols Central Railway,’ of which I
Mr.
j'U yeo, and ]t
•'D:I Iren '.V..:
Pickin'- hVd bowl un eni*.
-af;. tc, tuvun.- that her;
>; • cm? to war;’, (t appears
u ' ■ d.< <• o r •* i,rok
'i no 'Xc'.-.-p nuws of
v-.cken-. -.r .*-p,-op.»
!- * ‘ c-iC j .-mucl,
."-pc-: ii.iiv. njr obii-
* no lhot Mrs;
■i .u.d
•i . kditr , i , , t
%rci.r ils
n«- • .*»<*•»
r '*s * urnm. J'. -njlj!•• :u; T«.-. .q..
■i.i''y" ' ;'.f;.l
dleton had been arrestecf oy‘ llUPlrt gi'oes *
like many other sensation reports which
obtained circulation, provod to be without
any foundation in fact. These gentlemen,
who had separated from SheritJ Dooner at
the house of Middleton, about two and a
half miles from Station 1, ou the Atlantic
and Gulf railroad, where the prisoners
were rescued and the sheriff and bis offi
cers robbed, succeeded in making their
escape and arrived In the city yesterday
morning.
It appears that after the negroes bad res
cued the prisoners ahd robb- d the sheriff
and his officers, about fifty of them went to
the Southfield plantation, and after beating
and driving away R. Baxley, an overseer,
C. Winn, a curpeuler, and James
O'Donald, a watchman, and driving the
women and childreu iuto n negro hut, they
proceeded to rob the bouses of everything
'they could conveniently carry, autl to haul
away a largo quantity of rice.
After dark, Messrs. Winn and Baxley
made their way through the woods, in the
direction of the city. They found th,e road
irom the Southfield plantation to the rail
road strongly picketed, and could plainly
hear the word passed ulong the line at short
intervals. They wulked in the woods dur
ing the whole night, fearing totravel on the
road, and arrived in tho city yesterday
morning.
After having their wounds dressed and
refreshing themselves, they appeared be
fore the Ordiuury and made affidavits.
All sorts of wild and ridiculous reports
wore in circulation during tho day \es
terday, which were gradually exploded by
the arrival of parties from tho scenu of
action.
At about noon two faithful colored men
arrived iu tho city, with a pair of mulrs,
from the plantation, who reported ail quiet,
and that the ladies, who were reported to
have been carried away by tho armed ne
groes, were all safe in the houso of a faith
ful colored man,
Luto in tlie afteruoon John O'Donald,
who was supposed to have been killed, nr«
rivod in the city, and reported that he had
ioft tho plantation at ten o'clock in tin*
morning, and at that time all was quiet.
Mr. O'Donald was struck over tho head
with the butt of a gun, and kicked, heuton,
and very roughly handled, but pot danger
ously wounded; .After ho was knocked
down and beaten he yiunaged to make his
way to the house of man, named
Adam Williams, where bo remained until
morning, when ho found that tho robbers
hnd all disappeared.
Tho ladies uud children arrived in the cit v
bv tho ovouing train, ami are now in ooin
for able quarters at the boarding-house of
.Mr Bur:, at tho corner of Hay and Jefferson
streets.
Thoy leit the plantation at about noon,
and walked to Siution No. 1. whoro tlmv
took the truin for tho city. Thoy reported
that ou Tuesday night ihe robbers hud a
dancing and shooting party in Mr. Middle
ton’s house, which broke up at about day
light yesterday morning, but when they
left all was quiet.
We undorstund that prior to llio last visit
of tho robbers there was about five thou
sand bushels of threshed and some two
thousand bushels of tmthreshed ricn on tin*
plantation, which was probably stolen ami
carried uwuy last night and lli« buildings
burned, in accordance •villi the threats
made by tho robbers.
We are told that (his armed und organized
band of robbers residn on tho New Hope,
Maywood, Bennett, Miller, King's Mill and
Wild Morn plantations, which thoy have
rented, and lor winch thoy have agreed in
give ono-lbird of tho crop, they hearing the
untiro espouse of tilling tho sod.
Tho ladies'wlio arrived from tho planta
tion last night report that there was a rumor
at Station No. I, that a largo body of negroes
intended to take possession of the station
last night.
ITEMS OF F<>K» Hi\ \LU S.
Mad mu, .) an. 2.— A special dispatch dnti«f
at Maiagu yesterday, reports that the insur
gents there lired ou u boat of ibe United
Stales slearnor Swatura, while conveying an
American family to tin-ship. Serruuo ex
pressed murh regreat at tin* act and assured
tho United Status Minister (hut ihu guilty
onesshould bo punished, A short time after
tho troops attacked the insurgents in the
streets, carried three barricades and dis
persed tho rebels, with slight loss.
Mulugti lias be«Mi occupied by Genera)
Roda, the insurgonLs losing 1(H) killed and
(JDU prisoners. It is believed that the Pro
visional Government contemplates a coup
d’ chit in favor of placing Montpensier on
tho throne, as soon a« the cili/.cns l:\tio
province of Malga are disarmed,
the Cortes has a chance to u?;seniblo Gen
erals Serruuo and Roda support, hit Prim
opposes the movement Tho Spmlsh peo
pie generally favor a republic, intwill in*
ovorpowered by tho military.
London, Jau. 2. -Further djtnils of the
suppression of tho hisurrecihu at Malaga
buvm been received bv telegraph. After it
sharp ougagement in the steels Jl the city
General Do Roda siieceededj,, routing the
rebels and restoring order. Tho war ves
sols in the harbor acted ij concert with
General Do Roda bv tirlrg u galling l\ro
into tho ranks of tlie infcun» L . r ,t H . The coun
try is now entirely tranquu
The Eastern (la^tlon.
Pauis, Jan. li.—The conference for Hit*
settlement of the diflVronctH between Tur
key and Greece will be Composod of the
ambassadors to Franco from the various
Powers of Europe. The sittings will be held
in this city, and will bo presided ovur by
M. Lavalletto, the now French Foreign
Secretary, fho ti uio of tneetiug bus not yet
been fully agreed upon,
j The conference rneeiH on January U. It X
‘ is Raid that should its deliberations prove'
j abortive. RUasm will demand strict non
intervention on the part of Mie Hiuopean
powers in the quarrel belweq/u Greece umi
Turkey. »
A dispute!) from Athens /tales lliat. tin*
Turkish admiral, llobart tfuslm, bus for
mally demanded the surrender of the
j Greek steamer Efosis. Tin/ dispatch adds
that war is considered inevitLblo at Athens.
lt is now more than likeljy mat both the
Turkish and Grecian governments will par
ticipate in the preceding* the proposed
conference. It is given ono to-dav that
Alex. Rizo Kunguhe, the no’tled Grecian
poet, will represent 'Greece, Vurnl i*’erud
Pasha, the Turkish Minister Foreign
AfTuirs, will represent the Sublitud v Porte.
Jtnly. '
Floiiknck, Jan. J.—Kiolous dlslurbiii*i
cos, arising out of utlempta to collect th\>
unpopular mill tux, are reported in hoiih.v
parts of tho Kingdom, but uppeur to bo of \
an insignificant character.
London, Jan. 3.— Late telegrams from
Hong Kong confirm tho rc-establishmcnt
of the Mikado at JocJdo.
Tli* H||| Homicide Cn«e Conclud'd—
Vcrdlcl.tJull'j or Murder lii the First
Degree.
The case of (Jeorge 8. Twitohell, Jr.
churged with the murder of Mary M. liili
WHS concluded yesterday. At the. opening
of the Court, lho weather and (he day w
not favorable to a ful! “ ’
i here lore for the first tim*
HeatH in the Court |{mis<
Towards noon the Court
night it was crowded to i
Mr. O'Bryne, lor the n
his speech. *
M r. Mann followed at c<
on the same side, and tin
in the case.
Mr. Sheppard eln- od fo
he went over the nisi, at
every portion of it. lied
eat appeal trt the jury to
aud to decide the case
evidence, and that alone.
Judge Brewster then cl
quarter of? o'clock, and
of nine the case was givei
!l 1J thejury returned wit
ty. At the rendition ol
prisoner, who was calm a
he stood lacing tin-jury,
meet of the verdict threw
at the same instant, Mt
friend, who had been witi mrougii
Ujo trial, threw l.is army'around tbe pris
oner’s neck and Kiive utb{. ruuca a
cry. The prisoner, lybwever, was gutel
and .1 was not nnuyfifter tbe verdicn bad
been recorded that/e gavu the s ll K bleal iO
- oMee hn v A mtl u, t , u only , as ,
shtike of the heap].
Mr "* ylTwltchcirs Trial
Yesterday,/ n lho (j u „ rt e r Sessions, after
PariV r1 nd i<* ry hnd been oulled . and tbe
Petit Jurv/bad been discharged, and an the
Lourt wjf s about to adjourn, Wm. B. Mann
before Judge AiJison ami called
attenKon to the case of Mrs. Cumilla
1 wtfchell, charged with tho murder of Mrs
Mid, and asked if any dhy had been fixed
lor her trial, and suggested that an eurJv
day be named. J
District Attorney Sheppard stated that no
day has us vet been decided upon. The
Commonwealth had no desire to delay tbe
trial and without assigning a definite period
would say that it should be tried at as early
a moment as was consistent with public
justice in thy case.
Mr. Mann—l can recognize in her case
why the Constitution prescribes a speedy
trial. Whatever evidence she may buve as
to her Innocence is liable to fade away. She
has been in prison ever since November
last; a month in which more homicides
were committgcTTban could probably bo
tried In four montha.
Judge Alllsan—Tpero should bo a more
definite answer than that of the District
Attorney. Thexdonsel are entitled to know
when the trial will come off, hut Jf this Is to
be an appUcalion for the fixing of u day it
should beinadewhen there is another Judge'
on tbe can be brought in at
moment, anaTEeby if (he District Attorney
cannot assign a daA the Court will consider
what is a suffleient/imo to prepare for trial. '
It was theD agreed that a formal applica
tion should be made this morning,-Judge
Allison ordering Mrs. Twitcbell to be
brought up from prison so as to be present;.
The steamboat A. G. Brown collided \*iih
the Bremen steamship .below
New Orleans on Wednesday, and booq re
turned keel upwards. No lives were lost*
howeyer. Teutonia waauninjuredj f
:!•» '’"urs
rr; vni »f i».c .Vim
ii cvsa.'iaU