Case of Passmore Williamson.
[From the Philadelphia Kveuing Bulletin of Saturday.]
This morning Passmore Williamson appear
ed in the United States District Court, accom
panied by Messrs. Meredith, Gilpin and Hop
per, his counsel, and offered the following pe
tition :
rrriTios.
United States of America vs. Williamson, District Court
of the United States, Eastern district of Pennsylvania.
To tlie honorable the iudjfe of the District Court of the
United State--, for the Eastern district of Pennsylvania.
The petition of Passmore Williamson re
spectfully showeth :
That he desires to purge himself of the eon
tempt because of which he is now attached,
and to that end is willing to make true answers
to suelt interrogatories as may lie addressed to
him by tbc court touching the matter hereto
fore inquired of him by the writ of habeascor
pus to him directed at the relation of John H.
Wheeler.
Wherefore he prays that he may be permit
ted to purge himself of said contempt by mak
ing true answers to such interrogatories as may
be addressed to him by the honorable court
touching the premises.
P. WILLIAMSON.
Affirmed and subscribed before me, Nov. 2,
1855. (.'HAS. F. HEAZLITT,U. S. Com.
Judge Kane, after consideration, replied to
the petition as follows :
PASSMORE WILLIAMSON : The court has re
ceived your petition, and, upon consideration
thereof, have thought right to grant the prayer
thereof. You will therefore make here in ojajn
court, your solemn affirmation, that in the re
turn heretofore made by you to the writ of
habeas carpus which issued from this court at
the relation of John H. Wheeler, and in the
proceedings consequent thereupon, you have
not intended a contempt of this court or of its
process : moreover, that you are now willing
to make true answers to such interrogatories
as may be addressed to you by the court, touch
ing the premises inquired of in the said writ of
habeas corpus."
The required affirmation was then made in
the form dictated by the judge.
Mr. Van Dyke, the district-attorney then
submitted an interrogatory iu writing, which
was not read aloud at that time.
Mr. Gilpin said Mr. Williamson was per
fectly willing to answer the interrogatory sub
mitted by the district-attorney, but as he did
not know what other interrogatories might fol
low this, he thought it best that it and its an
swer should l>e filed.
Mr. Yau Dyke said he was willing either to
file the interrogatory or to submit it for an im
mediate reply.
Mr. Gilpin and Judge Kane both remarked
that they had understood the district-attorney
to intimate that if the question propounded
was answered in the affirmative he would be
satisfied. The court further said, that it was
for the petitioner to make his election whether
or not the interrogatories and the replies should
be filed.
After consultation with his counsel, the pe
titioner preferred that the questions and an
swers should be filed.
The court directed that the interrogatories
should be filed. Tbis was done, and the par
ties retired for a time.
Mr. Gilpin then read the interrogatory that
had been propounded, and the reply of Mr.
Williamson.
The defendant and his counsel then retired,
and after some time returned.
The interrogatory was as follows :
INTERROGATORY.
United States vs. Passmore Williamson, Nov. 3. 1555,
and now John I'. Van Dyke, Attorney tor the United
States, by leave granted,files the following interrogatory:
Interrogatory—Did you, at the time of the
service of the writ of habeas corpus at the re
lation of John H. Wheeler, or at any time du
ring the period intervening between the ser
vice of said writ and the making of your return
thereto, seek to oliev the mandate of said writ,
by bringing before this honorable court the
persons of the slaves therein mentioned ?
If to tbis interrogatory you answer in the
affirmative, state fully and particularly the
mode in which you sought so to obey said writ,
and all that you did tending to that end.
And, therefore, it is ordered that defendant,
Passmore Williamson, do make true auswers
to said interrogatories.
The reply made was as follows. The reader
will, however, understand that this reply was
amended at the suggestion of the court, to con
form better to the views of the district-attor
ney. The following is the reply as amended :
ANSWER or PETES PANT.
I did not seek to obey the writ by produc
ing the persons therein mentioned before the
court, because I bad not, at the time of the
service of the writ, the power over, the custo
dy or control of them, and, therefore, it was
impossible for me to do so. I first heard of
the writ of habeas corpus on Friday, July 20,
between 1 and 2 o'clock a. in., on my return
from Harrisburg. After breakfast, about 9
o'clock, I went from my house to Mr. Hopper's
office, when and where the rcturu was pre
pared.
At 10 o'clock I cnmc into court as command
ed by the writ. I sought to obey the writ by
answering it truly ; the parties not being in
my possession or control, it was inq>ossible for
me to obey the writ by producing them. Siuec
the service of the writ I have not had the cus
tody, possession or power over them ; nor have
I known where they were except from com
mon rumor or the newspaper rcjorts in regard
to their public apjiearaucc iu the city or else
where.
Some discussion arose between the district
attorney and the counsel of Mr. Williamson.
Van Dyke contended that the reply of the de
fendant was evasive and contradictory. The
judge said the difficulty, he thought, could be
easily overcome by amending the answer, and
to the suggestion of the court it was amended
iu the following manner :
I did not seek to obey the writ by produc
ing the persons in the writ mentioned before
this rourt.
I did not seek because I verily believed that
it was entirely impossible for me to produce
the said persons agreeably to tbc command of
the court.
This answer was then accepted by the court
and ordered filed.
Mr. Yan Dyke then submitted another in
terrogatory, the sulwtance of which was whe
ther or not Mr. Williamson had been guilty of
mental reservations in his reply to the first in
terrogatory ?
The court overruled this interrogatory as
superfluous and improper.
Mr. Yan Dyke withdrew this interrogatory
and offered another, which was also overruled
by the court on the ground that it led to such
replies as bad already becu objected to bv the
district-attorney.
Mr. Yau Dyke also withdrew tbis question.
Judge Kane then remarked that the district
attorney had been invited to aid the court in
this case, but that he would bear in mind that
his relation to Mr. Wheeler was now suspend
ed. Tbis was only an inquiry as to what inju
ry had been done the process of the court.
Mr. Yau Dyke said lie was aware of the po
sition he occupied.
Judge Kane then said : "The contempt, is
" regarded as purged, and the party is releas
"ed from custody. He is now re-instated in
" the position he occupied before the eoutcmpt
" was committed. Mr. Williamson is now be
" fore me on the returu to the writ."
Mr. Van Dyke then arose and addressed the
court.
After Mr. Yan Dyke had concluded, Mr.
Meredith inquired, "Is Mr. Williamson dis
charged ?"
Judge Kane replied, "He is. I understand
from the remarks, of the district-attorney, that
a noUcprosequi has been entered iu the case in
this court."
The court then adjourned. Mr. Williamson
was congratulated by his friends on his resto
ration to liberty.
Mr. W. looks exceedingly well, and but lit
tle paler and thinner than in July, when he
made his famous return to the writ out of
which so much trouble and discussion have
arisen. He appeared perfectly cool and col
lected throughout the proceedings this morn
ing, and evinced no emotion whatever.
Pennsylvania Legislature.
We are now enabled to give a full list of the
members elect of the next Legislature. The
names of Democrats are giveu in Roman ; those
of the opposition iu italics.
SENATE.,
1. Phila. City— Eli K. Price, William A.
Crubb.
2. Phila. County—N. B. Browne, H. C.
Pratt, Harlan Ingram.*
3. Montgomery—Thomas P. Knox.*
4. Chester and Delaware— James J. Leads.
5. Berks—John C. Evans.*
6. Bucks—Jonathan Ely.*
7. Lancaster and Lebanon— J. C. Shuman,
J. W. Killinger.
8. Northumberland and Dauphin— David
Toggart.
9. Northampton and Lehigh—J. Laubach.*
10. Carbon, Monroe, Pike and Wavne—J.
11. Walton
11. Adams and Franklin— David Mcllinger.
12. York—Win. H. Welsh.*
13. Cumberland and Perry—Sam'l. Wherry.
14. Centre, Lycoming, Sullivan and Clinton
—Andrew Gregg.
15. Blair, Cambria and Huntington—J.
Cresswell, Jr.
16. Luzerne, Montour and Columbia—C.
R. Buckalew.
17. Bradford, Susquehanna and Wyoming
—W. M. Piatt.
18. Tioga, Potter, M'Kean, Elk, Clearfield,
Jefferson and Forrest— Henry Souther.
19. Mercer, Venango and Warren—Thos.
Hoge.
20. Erie and Crawford— D. A. Finney *
21. Butler, Beaver aud Lawrence— John
Ferguson.
22. Allegheny—Jonas R. M'Clintock, Wm.
Wilkins.*
23. Washington and Greene— J.C. Fleniken.
24. Bedford, Fulton and Somerset— Francis
Jordan.
25. Armstrong, Indiana and Clarion—S. S.
Jamison.
26. Juniata, Mifflin and Union— James M.
Se'/ers.
27. Westmoreland and Fayette— W. E.
Fra zer.
28. Schuylkill—C. M. Straub.*
*New Members.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Adams—lsaac Robinson.
Allegheny—James B. Fulton, Samuel Smith,
James Salisbury, C. Magee, L. B. Patterson.
Armstrong, Clarion and Jefferson— Darwin
Phelps, Philip Clover, M. K. Boyer.
Beaver, Butler ami Lawrence— D. li. Em
brie, A. W. Crawford, R. 11. AT Combs.
Bedford, Fulton and Cambria—R. Nelson
Smith, Joseph Bernhard.
Berks—J. Lawrence Getz, George Slienk,
W in. Ilines, Benj. Nunnemaclier.
Blair and Huntingdon— T. M. Gibbony, John
11. Wintrode.
Brw'.fjrd— U. Ijiporte, J. Holmmb.
Bucks—John Mangle, Alex. B. Johnson,
John 11. Lovett.
Carbon aud Lehigh—Joshua Fry, Thomas
Craig, jr.
Centre— Jacob St ruble.
Chester—Andrew Buchanan, Robert Irwin,
Joseph Dowdall.
Clearfield, M'Kean and Elk—S. A. Backus.
C.iuton, Lycoming and Pott' r —Sam'l Cald
well, John C. AT Ghee.
Columbia aud Montonr—John G. Mont
gomery.
Crawford— Joseph Brown, Leonard Reed.
Cumlerlaud—Jas. Annerson, Wm. Harj>er.
Dauphin— David Mumma, Jr., J. Wright.
Delaware—Charles I>. Manley.
Eric — G. J. Rail, M. Whallon.
Fayette and Westmoreland—Henry I). Fos
ter, Samuel Ilill, John Fousold, P. A. Johus.
Franklin—James B. Orr, James Boyd.
Greene—llufus K. Campbell.
Indiana— Robert 11. Moorehead.
Lancaster—George G. Brush, Jesse Rein
hold, P. W. Housekeeper, Wm. Hamilton, C.
L. llu vs cler.
Lcbai on— Wm. A. Barry.
Lnzernc—ll. Wriglit, Henderson Gay/ord.
Mercer, Veuango and Warren— Sam'tKeer,
S. P. ATCalmont, Daniel Lett.
Mifflin— John PurcelJ.
Monroe and Pike—Ahram Edinger.
I Montgomery—Josiah Hillcgas, Geo Hutuill,
A. B. Longaker.
Northampton—John A. Lines, Jesse Pear
son.
Xortbuuil)crland—S. 11. Zimmerman.
Perry— Kirk Haines.
Philadelphia City— E. Joy Morris, Jacob
Dock, Aaron Cobnrn, George Smith.
Phila. County—Charles M. Leisenring, John
Thompson, Joseph Hunnecker, John M'Car
thy, Townsend Yearsley, Charles Carty, Fred.
J. Walter, Samuel A Hibbs, John Robers, It.
L. Wright.
Schuylkill—R. Dickson, S Frick.
Somerset— Jonas Augustine.
Susquehanna, Sullivan wad Wyoming—J. V.
Smith, T. J. Ingham.
Tioga— T. L. Baldwin.
Union, Snyder and Juniata— G. W. St rouse.
Washington—Geo. W. Miller, D. Riddle.
Wayne- Nathauiel W. Vail.
York - Isaac Black, Samuel Maneer, James
Ramsey.
ISrabtoJUjpte.
E. O. GOODRICH, EDITOR.
~TOWANDA :
Satnrbao fUormun, Noocmbcr 10, 1055.
TI:RMS —One Dollar per annum, invariably in ailt>anre.—
Four weeks preriuus to the expiration of a subscription.
notice will be given by a printed wrapper, and if not re
newed, the paper will in all cases be stopped.
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lowing extremely Unc rates :
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for each subsequent insertion.
JOB-WOKK— Executed with accuracy and despatch, and at
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MOSEY may be sent by mail, at our risk—enclosed in an
envelope, and properly directed, we will be responsible
for its safe delivery.
THE ELECTIONS.;
NEW YORK.
The returns from the state of New York ore
very meagre. They indicate the election of the
Republican slate ticket, over the Know Noth
ings. The Soft and Hard vote will be about
equal. New York city gives theK.N.'s about
6,000 majority.
Tioga county elects the entire democratic
ticket, but gives the Republican state ticket a
plurality of 300. Chemung elects the demo
cratic county ticket, and gives the Soft state
ticket a majority.
MASSACHUSETTS.
Returns from 198 towns foot np.as follows :
Gardner, 39,427 ; Beach, 22,747 ; Walley,
10,215 ; Rockwell, 26,134. Gardner's plu
rality thus far, 13,293.
The Know-Nothiugs have probably elected
a majority of the legislature, although the re
sult is not fully known.
LOUISIANA.
The Know-Nothiugs have swept the city of
New Orleans. Nothing is yet known from the
the country.
RECEPTION OF GOV. REEDER.
Gov. REEDER was received at the cars, on
his arrival at Phillipsburg from Philadelphia,
on the 6th instant, by a very great assemblage
of the people of Easton and the neighbornood,
who were there to greet him with a hearty
welcome home, and an earnest and warm ap
proval of his course in the difficult and momen
tous affairs with which he has been so credita
bly and distinguishingly associated in Kansas.
He was escorted by an immense concourse of
citizens, with music, to Connor's Hotel, where
he was received, in a short and eloquent ad
dress, by GEO. W. YATES, Esq., after which
the Governor delivered a masterly and powci
fully impressive speech, which was listened to
with profound attention, and evidently fell with
convincing effect upon his audience.
He gave a rapid but luminous and candid
history of the whole of the Kansas affair, show
ing up the unfairness and hypocrisy of the Ad
ministration on the one side, and the high
: handed and lawless proceedings of the Missou-
I ri iuvaders on the other, with a clearness of
narrative and a graphic description which car
ried conviction to the minds of all.
He explained satisfactorily, all seeming in
consistencies in his course, and avowed his fix
ed determination to stand by, at all hazards
and through all consequences, the noble plat
form uf principles adopted by the Free State
party of Kansas. Throughout the whole of
his speech, there was not one violent or abusive
epithet against those at whose hands lie Lad
received such measureless abuse. He closed
amid a deep and earnest response of cordial
agreement on the part of his hcarej.s.
PASSMORF. WILLIAMSON RELEASED. —The case
of Passmorc Williamson was up in the District
Court,on Saturday laßt, and resulted in his dis
charge by Judge KANE. A full report of the
proceedings—Williamson's petition, the inter
rogatories and answers—and the decision of
the Judge—will be found iu another column.
If our readers can find any difference between
Williamson's answers now, and his return to
the habeas corpus , they arc wiser than wc are.
There is nothing iu his " purgation'' which he
has not been endeavoring to do and say, every
day since the tyranny of Judge KANE confined
him in Moyamcusing. The "contempt" we
feel for the Court is increased when we sec how
little it requires to satisfy its offended dignity.
Judge KANE has shown in this transaction,
both in the beginning and the conclusion, a
spirit of servility to the influence of the slave
power, which will render his name odious for
all time, to Freemen. In eudeavoring to bow
to the domination of slavery, lie has descended
lower thau he intended, we have no doubt, but
it is no excuse for him, that he now endeavors
by weak and frivolous pretences to regain his
standing.
—Wc learn from the Philadelphia North
American, that a writ, issued by the Court of
Delaware county, at the suit of Passuiore Wil
liamson, on a complaint of false imprisonment,
Ac., was served Tuesday last on Judge KANE,
while on a visit at the house of his brother-in
law, Judge LIEPER, near Chester. The pro
ceedings having been thus commenced, the case
will come up for trial, in proper course, at Me
dia, in Delaware comity. J. J. LEWIS, Esq.,
of \Y estchester, is the counsel marked upon
the summons.
HIRAM LOCKWOOD, has been appointed
Post-Master at Alba, in this County, rice A.
H. CASE resigned.
J. W. WOODBURN has also been appointed !
Post-Master at Rome, rice George Nichols. I
*a?~ WE cut the following paragraph from
the East on Argus, oue of the strictest " okl j
line democratic'' paj>ers in the Commonwealth.:
It is a truthful statement of the causes which
produced the late apparent triumph of slavery
in Pennsylvania. Our friend HITTER has no
particular reasons to defcud the National Ad
ministration. He is the personal and political
friend of Gov. RKEDKR, and should by this time
l>e fully awakened to the intolerant and pre
scriptive spirit of the Blaveocracy. If any one
ever had reason for cntting loose from an or
ganization which is only useful in forwarding
the purposes of the slavery-propagandists, it
is the editor of the Easton Argus —and we
trust the time will soon come when he will re
fuse in any way to aid in advancing the schemes
of those who have sacrificed Gov. REKDER, be
cause be would not become a supple tool in
their hands:
"We notice that an effort is made in certain quartern
to construe the late Democratic triumph in Pennsylvania
into an endorsement of the present National A ministra
tion. It mnst require a peculiar pair of spectacles to see
any such meaning in the result, and we pronounce it pnre,
unadulterated nonsense. In this section of the Rtate,
where the largest majorities were given for the Democrat
ic candidates, no one thought of Mr. Pierce or his Admin
istration, and no one cared the snap of a finger about ei
ther. The victory might with as much reason be claim
ed as an endorsement of the course of Louis Napoleon. It
was Know-N'otliingism and the abominable " Jug laiw v
that disgusted the people and swelled the Democratic
vote. It wis a knowledge of the fact that the Democratic
party is and always has been opposed to isms of every sort
ami grade—to fanaticism and tyrannical laws of every
shade—that caused the great mass of the people to flock
to its standard. It is all stuff for any editor to undertake
to prove anything else."
LATER FROM CALIFORNIA. —By the arrival at
New York of the steamship Star of the West,
from Sun Juan, we have some important news.
The passengers were detaiued nine days on the
Isthmus by the political troubles. Col. Wal
ker had attacked Grenada, the capital of Nic
aragua, and captured it. Gen. Corral, com
mander of the forces of the late government,
had surrended to Walker, and a treaty of peace
was formally ratified between them. The late
Secretary of State, Mayarza, was shot for trea
son. The Transit Company's steamer, San
Carlos, while carrying the California passen
gers, was fired into by the government forces
from the fort at the junction of the San Juan
river, and Lake Nicaragua. A lady and child
were killed, and the steamer damaged. The
passengers reached the Pacific without further
molestation. This occurrence took place on the
sth of October, and on the 19th the govern
ment forces from Ilivas made a murdorous at
tack on the returning Californians at Virgin
Bay, killing four and severely wounding eight.
Both these acts were in revenge for the success
of Walker.
KANSAS. —The Lawrence Herald gives a de
tailed return of the vote cast for lleeder in 44
precincts. The aggregate is 2864. There are
over 50 precincts in all. Of this total, 557
were cast at Lawrence, and 503 at I<eaven
, worth. The Kickapoo Pioneer gives the vote
[tolled for Whitfield at 2462, and states the
ictails, from which it appears that 1757 of
these votes were cast in ten precincts, having
I very few votes, all sparsely settled save one,
Leavenworth. No official statement of the
I whole vote has been made, and it has been kept
i back in order to make it exceed that of lleed
er. Several different statements of both vot< s
have been given.
The Frontier News savs that Whitfield's
poll was 2855, while itcedcr's was 2005.
The outside of our paper is taken up
by a chapter from the forthcoming second vol
' utne of Col. BENTON'S Thirty Years View, giv
ing the secret history of the intrigue to defeat
the re-noiniuation of MARTIN VAN BLRF.N for
the Presidency in 1844. We have no desire
to make an excuse for occupying so much space
with this history. To every one who takes an
interest in politics, it will be of the greatest
j interest—and it can be profitably read by all.
COSMOPOLITAN ART ASSOCIATION.—WE call
j attention to the advertisement of this Institu
tion, which will be found in another column.
The inducements offered by the Aassociation
are, that each subscriber receives in advance
the worth of his outlay, as well his chance of
drawiug a valuable work of art. Subscriptions
arc received by A\ . 11. 11. GORE, honorary
secretary, for this place.
FATAL ELECTION AKKRAY. —At Albany, N.
V., on Tuesday last, Michael Brcnnan assault-
Wm. McCrosseu, when the latter drew a pistol
! and shot him through the head, causing death
I in about two minutes.
A gentlemau named Baker was to de
liver an address at the Illinois State Fair last
| week but was taken ill, when his son mounted
the platform and jierformed his father's task.
It was all in the family.
We regret to learn that Sheriff ConniNG
met with a severe accident on Tuesday last in
Canton, bv being thrown from his sulkey, frac
turing one of his legs between the knee and
ancle.
i
AGGRESSIVE POLICY or THE SOVTH. —The
New York Courier and Enquirer has an ex
cellent article showing that the arbitrary and
aggressive policy pursued by the South in the
political affairs of the country, has resulted
largely to its own disadvantage. The attempt
to invade the right of petition started an abol
ition party which is becoming powerful. The
expulsion from the House of Representatives of
Giddings has been the cause of his return at
every election since. The admission of Texas
and the war with Mexico, undertaken for the
extcusion of slavery, have resulted in the crea
tion of one free State—California—with the
prosjiect of others. And the rejieal of the Mis
souri Compromise is stimulatiug the North to
make free States of Kansas and Nebraska
rnnch sooner than they would have been had
not the excitement caused by that act bc> n
arou>cd.
At a meeting of Union Lodge No. 108, A.
Y. Masons, at their Hull in the Borough of
Towanda, on Wednesday, October 24, A. D.
1855, A. L. 5855, brother Wu. PATTOX ad
dressed the chair as follows :
WotSHiPiTL MASTER AND BRETHREN :
Within a brief period the pall of death
has mantled the mortal remains of another of
our fraternity in a land of strangers, and they
have been borne hither to his former home in
oar vicinity, and conveyed by tried and trusty
brethren to that narrow house opened for their
final reception. No more will the warm grasp
of his friendly hand betoken the fraternal greet
ing of his beloved brethren in revisiting this
sacred retreat. No more will the glauce of
his once bright eye beam upon that radiant
•'fight which none but craftsmen ever saw."—
No more will his listcniug ear be open to the
appeals of distress No more will his open
hand be the generous almoner of charity. The
far distant sound of the gavel has summoned
him to the august presence of the Grand Mas
ter of the Universe. Yes ! our beloved bro
ther, HARRY GORE, has gone to meet his bre
thren who have gone before him, in that sacred
temple erected in the spirit world by the fiat
of infinite wisdom. Wc sec him not —we hear
him not—we miss his presence, and mourn his
loss as one whom we all esteemed, and who is
eminently worthy of our affectionate remem
brance.
As I was not here to participate in the funer
al ceremonies, 1 deemed it but an act of jus
tice to our deceased brother to offer this hum
ble tribute of the expression of my own feel
ings, in concurrence with the sentiments alrea
dy expressed by the Lodge.
Preamble and resolutions offered by brother
H. L. SCOTT, at the preceding meeting of the
Lodge, and unanimously adopted :
WHEREAS, It has pleased the Almighty, in His diviue
Providence, to remove from earth our worthy Brother,
HAKKY (<KK. who departed this life at Byron", Ogle Co.,
111., on the Wtti of September last: And whereas, we <iep
ly deplore the loss of one who was so good a man and so
good a mason. Therefore,
Retoivtii, That as a testimonial of oar profound respect
and high regard for the memory of our departed Brother,
we will wear the usual badge of mourning for a period of
thirty d ys.
Reno/ml, That we tender our aiucere condolence to
the family and friends of our late brotlier for their irre
parable loss in this afflictive bereavement.
Brother E. 11. MASON moved the following
resolution, which was unanimously adopted :
litMo/rrJ, That the remarks of brother PATTON and the
resolutions offered by brother SCOTT be published, and
that n committee be appointed to forward a copy of them
to the lamily of our deceased brother. Whereupon tlie
W. M. appointed brother* E. H. MASON, H. J. MAI>ILL,
aud 11. B. M'KEAN said committee.
Terrible Accident on the Pacific Railroad.
•On the Ist instant, an excursion train, con
sisting of fourteen ears, crowded with invited
guests, left the depot at St. Louis, on an ex
cursion to Jefferson City, to celebrate the open
ing of the Pacific Railroad to that place.
On reaching a bridge across the Gasconade
river, the structure gave way, and ten of the
cars were precipitated a distance of twenty-five
or thirty feet into the water. The crossing is
about eight miles from the town of Herman.
Two locomotives were attached to the train,
one at the front, and the other at the rear;
and the front one and ten passenger ears were
precipitated into the river. About one hun
dred and fifty of the passengers are said to have
got out before passing the bridge, in order to
sec the structnre and observe the trial of it by
so heavy a train. The road enters the bridge
with a curve, aud this circumstance, perhaps,
prevented the accident from being more fatal.
The foremost locomotive had reached the first
pier when the structure gave way. In falling
it reversed its position entirely, the front turn
ing to the east and the wheels upward. On it
at the time, were the President, Mr. 11. E.
Bridge, who was saved, and Mr. O'Sullivan,
the chief engineer of the road, and a numl>er
of employees, nil of whom are supposed to have
been lost. The baggage car, next the engine,
went down without causing any serious injury,
and following it were the first and second pas
senger cars, in which several were killed, and
a large nnmber more or less mangled. In the
third car, only one or two were killed, although
it was in a dangerous position and almost en
tirely demolished. In the fourth and fifth cars
several were instantly killed, and a great many
fatally injured. On the other cars the loss of
fife and the wounded were dreadful. Some of
the cars plunged on the top of those beneath
them, with their ponderous wheels crashing or
maiming the unfortunate passengers, while oth
ers hung opon the cliff in a perpendicular posi
tion, and two or three turned bottom upward
down the grade.
The train had on board at least sixhnndred
persons ; among them were two of the military
companies of St. Lonis, many members of the
press, distingnished citizens, legislators, Ac.—
Two physicians were among those who escap
ed, and they rendered efficieut service to the
wounded.
A despatch from St. Lonis, dated the 4th,
siys :—" A train arrived here this evening,
bringing the bodies of those who were killed
on the excursion train on the Pacific railroad,
together with those badly wounded, those but
slightly injured having previously arrived. The
whole number of killed is twenty-two. It is
impossible to ascertain the number of wounded
as scarcely a man on the train escaped unhurt
Those suffering from broken limbs and severe
contusions probably reach fifty. The bodies
of the dead are to be buried to-morrow.
FRI ITS OF RIM. — The Ohio State Journal of
the 2Uth relates the following :
" On Friday la?t Judge Williams of Union
county, at one time assouite judge of that
county, while in a state of intoxication, seated
himself on the railroad track, in the vicinity
of Urbana, and was knocked off the track by
a freight-train, aud his foot was crushed in such
a manner that amputation had to be resorted
to the same night. We learn that Judge
Williams died last night from the cffecs of in
juries received at the time. It is due to the
engineer of the train to say that when he found
the person would not leave the track, he re
versed his engine, and jumped off and endeavor
ed to run ahead of his machine, to save Mr.
illiams, but missed it by no more than two
steps. The judge leaves a wife and children to
mourn his loss."
FATAL RAILROAD ACCIDENT. —On Tuesday af
ternoon at about 5 o'clock, a man ap|>areiitly
20 years of age, evidently a foreigner who had
recently arrived in this country, wus instantly
killed upon the track of the N. Y. and E. R.
R. near llackensack river. He was walking
upon the track at a point where up and down
trains were meeting, and stepping from one
track to avoid one train, lie got in the way of
the other, and was instantly killed by a blow
from the cow-catcher. The body was taken
to the cold spring station.
Four Days Later from Europe.
Capture of Kinbnrn by the Allies!
RUMORED RUSSIAN EVACUATION OF THE CRIMEA!
The steamship Arago fr>m Havre,via S<: n'h
ampton, with Liverpool dates to the 24th ult
arrived at New York Tuesday afternoon. '
The Arago brings a confirmation of the re
port of the capture of Kinburn by the allied
armies. The uews was received by the En
fish Admiralty on the 20th inst., by the follow',
ing despatch from Sir E. Lyons : —The three
forts on the Kinborn Spit, mounting upwards
of 70 guns, and garrisoned by 1300 men, under
Gen Kokonpkitch capitulated to the allied
forces on the 17th October. The day before
yesterday a flotilla of yonr vessels forced the
entrance of the Dneiper, and the allied troons
landed on the Spit, to the southward of the
forts ; thus, by their simultaneous operation
the retreat of the garrisons and the arrival of
reinforcements were entirely cut off so that the
forts, being bombarded to-day (17th) bv the
mortar vessels, gnn-vessels, and French float,
ing batteries,and being closely cannonaded bv
the eleven line of-battlc ships and frigates, fhav
ing only two feet of water under their keels )
were soon obliged to surrender. The casual
ties in the fleets were very few, but the enemr
had 40 killed ami 130 wounded. A steam
squadron, under the orders of Rear Admirals
Stewart and I'elton, lie at anchor in the I)nei
per, and command the entrance to Nicboiauff
aud Klierson. The forts are occupied br the
Allied troops. The prisoners were to be sent
to Constantinople.
The Times intimates that General Simpson
Commander-in-Chief in the Crimea, is about to
be recalled, and the Morning Herald farther
states that Lieut. Gen. Sir J. W. Codringtou is
to succeed bim. The Glolie, an evening jour
ual, states that Gen. Simpson is not recalled
nor is there any intention of recalling hiin
The ill httilth. of the General, the Globe sav<
unfits him for further service. Arrangements
were being made by the Government to pro
vide for a successor, but nothing had been de
cided upon.
The Czar had arrived at Odessa on the 9th
Admiral Duudas had left Nassen, in the
Wellington, and was gone to Stockholm, to
pay his respects to King Oscar.
A dreadful accident had occurred on the Lv
o'is Railway, by which sixteen persons were
killed, aud others dangerously wounded.
The Rourse, at Madrid, was deserted from a
panic caused by cholera.
A telegraphic despatch was received at the
Admiralty, Admiral Lyons, announcing that,
on the morning of the 18tli ult., the Russians
blew up the fortifications on Oschnkoff point,
mounting 23 guns, and which were assailable
by the mortar vessels of the Allies.
A despatch from the Crimea states that the
Russians continued to augment the defence? of
of Sebastopol.
THE DITCH REFORMED CHCRCH ON THE BIB
JKCT or SLAVERY. —The action of the General
i Synod of the Reformed Dutch Church, upon
the great question of the day is an event of no
! ordinary significance. Several churches of
North Carolina, as it appears, professing the
doctrines of the Reformed Dntch, applied to
the General Synod for admission as a separate
classis. The special committee of the Synod,
to whom the subject was referred, reported in
favor of admitting the classis, without anv re
servation in regard to slavery. Their report
ami resolution*, after a daily debate form-ark
a week, were rejected, and instead of them are
solution < ff red by Dr. Betbune, revesting
the classis to withdraw its application, was
carried almost unanimously. This was the
most courteous mode of defining Christian fel
lowship with the slaveholders that could have
been selected.
The remark of Dr. Bcthune, that while he
would not dare to refine the privileges of Chris
tian communion to a man merely because he
was a slaveholder, slavery itself was, neverthe
less, opposed to the spirit of the Gospel, ex
pressed the feelings of nine-tenths of the Ixxiy
lie addressed. The stand here taken by the
Dutch Synod is the stand that must and will
betaken by the entire North, as well initspo
litical, as in its ecclesiastical relations to slavery.
The Synod not only refused to adopt the in
stitution, but, without transgressing the nilrs
of Christian charity and kindness, at the same
time carefully refrained from taking any action
that could beconstmeil into countenancing sla
very, or apoiogiziug for it. It did not abso
lutely refuse to admit the classis of North
Carolina. But it substantially declined to do
so without a qualification, expressive of its
disapprobation of slavery.
It speaks to the South the language of al
most the entire North—" We will not lie rf
sponsible for this institution ; we wash our
hands of this iniquity."
That is the stand which the whole North
must and soon will take as well without as
within the Church.
HEAVY GRAIN OPERATIONS. —During the
past week we learn that a single party in this
city purchased about 600,000 bushels whfit.
the most of which, it is said, will go forward
to Boston At an average of $1,50
shel, the gentlemen in question paid out near
ly a million of dollars, all of which has p*** 0
iuto the pockets of the farmers of the coun
try and is somnch added to the general
Other jiarties, however, were actively cngmreu
in buying throughout the week, and it b rea
sonable to estimate the quantity which cb* r ?'
ed hands during that time at" fully two mil
lions of dollars.— (Chicago Press, 30M.
ATTEMPTED SCICIDE.—A young man nam*'
W m. Myers, a clerk in the Post Office at A" 1 *
gatiy, Cattaraugus county, attempted to com
mit suicide last week, lie had purloineda : '.
tcr of $42 and on being privately asked togb*
the money up done so and then went una
drank two ounces of laudanum. His recover!
is doubtful.
FROM XOKEOLK AND PORTSMOCTH. — The J*
pcrs of these two cities speak in ciieouia-' n r
terms of their improved health. Sickness 0 m
kinds was gradually diminishing, con
returning, and the streets resuming
•spect. Absentees, it is now thought, n> a ? I
turn with safety where the precaution h . ■
taken to have the premises well aired pre* 1 R
to resumiug their occupancy. I
&£r Mr. Ray, the Under of a K
the cars at the Rochester I)e|>ot, wic'• K
taiued $1,500, has received live hundred v
the owner of the money, as a reward B.
houcity. Liberality is cvidcutly o" thc c ■