Starvation at the West.
Our country is upon the ve;ge of famine.—
We have never kuowu so wide-spread and ex
treme destitution as prevails at present, espe
cially in the western states. We feel the
pressure here on the Atlantic severely, but as
yet there is no distress that we are aware of.
West of the Alleghenies, however, cattle are
perishing bv the hundreds, and people pine for
lack of food.
In lowa the traveller finds no hay or straw
for horses at any of the hotels. At Pes
Moines corn is considered cheap at two dollars
and can scarcely be had at that. It is repor
ted that five dollars is the regular price in
many places between there and Council Bluff's.
Dead horses and cattle along the road are
said to be ordinary sights. Wheat seems to be
nearly as scarce as corn and hay. Flour is
Belling at five dollars and five "dollars fifty
cents per hundred, and rising. High as this
price is, fanners who could afford it were feed
ing their carriage-horses on w heat.
The suffering in Michigan lias been so ex
treme tlmt public meetings have been held
and measures taken by the put die authorities
for relieving the destitute. The Relief Com
mittee of Lansing report that in Gratiot coun
ty people were selling their land for means to
get away with—that none have provisions to
last more than two or three weeks. What
they have, consists of flour and meal mere
ly ; they have no meat, the smoke last fall
from the extensive fires having driven off the
deer.
One of the most substantial farmers in the
town of Arcadia reports that in his neighbor
hood most of the families have only a few po
tatoes left for seed ; they have divided with
each other until they can divide no more, and
have seed to plant. Each has from one to
three bushels. He had last season one and a
half acres of tine corn, that was cut off by an
early frost when it was in the milk, and he
could only use it for provender for his cattle.
The cattle have had to subsist mostly through
the winter on browse. He lias heard of neigh
bor hoods north of him, from ten to thirty and
even sixty tniles, that have nothing but oats to
boil for food, and that one woman and two or
three children west of him, iu Montcalm coun
ty, had died for want of food.
Samuel Hewlett,one of the leading butchers
of. Detroit, returning from a business trip
through the north part of Macomb county, in
the same state, reports to the editor of the
Detroit Advertiser that he was compelled to
ride miles in order to tind a feed for his horse,
lie says that the cattle and horses arc suffer
ing greatly, and that the shoe]) and lambs are
dying of the scours by the hundred. This
state of things he reports upon his own obser
vation, and adds that he saw a number of
persons from the county of Lapeer, adja
cent, who say that matters are much worse
there.
The Advertiser attributes the excessive scar
city in Michigan, in a measure, to purely locai
causes. It says :
" The pervading fires of IS-1", the heavy August frost,
which cut off com anil buckwheat, and nearly r.uord po
tatoes. the miserable crops of other vegetables, and a bit
ter winter, have combined to depress the standard of life
to a point of starvation. The worst has not come. The
cattle can begin to live, it is true, and the milk wiil help
out of the fare of the poor children ; but a large portion
of the cows arc dead,and it will be two months before
the ground will yield anything upon which human be lugs
can rely for support.''
In Tennessee things are in a still worse con
dition. The Kuoxvilie Register of the 7th
inst., says that everywhere in East Tennessee,
the'greatest scarcity of i rovender and grain o
tvery description prevails. The cattle are ac
tually dying by the thousand, and in some
sections the dependence is to cut down trees,
that the cattle may eat buds. Xor is this
alarming state of affairs confined to cattle.—
In inauy sectious of the country, families that
have been well provided with not only the
necessaries, but man of the luxuries of lite, are
to straitened as to be compelled to go forty or
fifty miles to buy corn or wheat.
While this is the case with those who have
heretofore been comfortable and independent,
the American says that the greater
want prevails among the poorer classes, ar.d in
counties east of Knoxville, that some of them
were actually unable to have more thau one
meal a day.
From Canada the same cry of hanger is
heard. The* Hamilton Spectator says that hay
brings SOO a ton, that no oats arc tube found
except what are needed for seed, and cattle
ha\e been driven into tiie woods, "where they
are now dying i i numbers from sheer starva
tion."'
These arc some of the fruits of the excessive
stimulus given to western emigration by the
immense land grants of Congress. A popula
tion that might be more productively employed
in a compact society, through these influences
is spread over thousands and millions of acres
tempted by the prospect of a new railroad to
be built, or a a swelling current of emigration,
to spend all its money, and perhaps run in
debt for more land than it can afford to hold
or cultivate. This class of settlers generally
have to sell their first crops out pretty clcaii
for money to meet their interest account mak
ing but little provisions for the family con
sumption through a long spring. They also
have overlooked this year the extraordinary
emigration which lias deluged the West, anil
indefinitely multiplied the number of consumers.
With their money all gone, the produce of
their land all sold, what have they to to do
but starve or beg? In some instances, as in
Michigan, no doubt local disaster has contri
buted to the general destitution ; but, in the
main, the scarcity which now prevails in the
West may be traced pretty directly to the
land gambling propensities which Congress has
been cultivating for some years past by its do
nations of public lands. Ten millions of acres
annnally js all, and more than all, the new land
which is required for the proper accommoda
tion of a healthy emigration.
Twice that amount is forced annually upon j
the market, usually coupled with a condition j
that some railroad or other improvement be j
built through or by it. Thus a double tempta
tion is created to withdraw money from other
and regular channels of business—one to spec
ulate in the lands, the other to construct the
improvement—neither of which expenditures
would have been attempted but for the bait
held out by the general goveanment. Through
these influences our people are spread over too
large a surface to give to each other the
strength and support which forms one of
the main inducements for men to live in socie
ty.
But for this emigration, which is one of the
increase, we might hope that the present suffer
ing in the \\ est would be but temporary. The
danger is, however, that there will not be seed
enough left in the West to plant land of an
average area. High prices ordinarily tempt
.at *R°,V 0 MD p'" 3 wider surface,
Liu Ml.en farmers are feeding Uet t 0 their
horses, and people are obliged to subsist on
one meal of corn or flour a day, itis not likely
an average quantity of seed will be reserved
for planting. Under these circumstances it is
premature to calculate upon any great abun
dance of considerable reduction in the price of
provisions during the coming year. The time
has at last come, we the think, when the east
ern farmers may feel safe in devoting all
the ground they can spare to the cereals. For
the next year at least, prices are sure to be re
munerative.—Erating I'ost.
Important from Utah.
The Federal Courts Broken up by the Mormons
Outrage cn the Gentiles, dpe.
Advices from the Salt Lake City to the
nth of March, given an account of the break
ing up and dispersion of U. S. Court by a
body of armed creatures of Brigham Young,
and the priesthood, commonly known there as
the Panties. _ Correspondents state the facts
as follows :
The U. S. District Court for Utah commenc
ed 9th of February, Judge Stiles, a seceding
Mormon, o:i the Bench. The United States
District Attorney is llosea Stout, an appoint
ee of the Government at Washington, and a
noted member of the Panite Band. Upon the
opening of the Court, he rose and stated that
no Grand Jny would be irnpannellcd, as there
were no cases to lie presented worthy of its
notice ! Thus, by one stroke, were covered
up a long catalogue of heinous offences, in
cluding murders, robberies and arsons. A Pe
tit Jury was sworn, but every imaginable im
pediment to obstruct justice were availed of.
All the members of the Bar are Mormons, ex
cept David 11. Burr, Surveyor-General, and
Dr. Hurt, an officer of the Indian Department.
They had not practiced until the present term
when they air reed to do so at the earnest so
licitation of Mr. T. 8. Williams, who had some
very interesting eases to prosecute. It is con
tended by the Mormons that all the offences
committed in the Territory, must be tried by
the Territorial laws. Starting upon this pre
text, while the Court was in progress on the
I'2th ul ~ the Mormon members of the Bar
and others of theDanite band, inveigled Judge
Stiles into a private room, locked the door
barred the windows, and theu with revolvers
at his head and knives within an inch of his
throat, forced him to promise to uphold them
in whatever they did, and to "sustain the laws
of Utah !" Thus overpowered, threatened,
and intimidated, Judge Stiles yielded, dismiss
ing the Jury and adjourned the Court, direct
ing the Crier to pronounce it adjourned sine
die. Tin* Crier accordingly announced the
Court adjourned sine die, but also stated that
if would meet the next day for the transaction
of any territorial business that might be brought
before it. ThoJddge, at the bidding of the
Dunites, notified the U. S Marshal, Mr. I)od
son, that after that day his presence would not
be required in the Court; that the territorial
Marshal would be considered the officer, and
an account of the expenses would be render
ed to the United States Marshal for pay
ment. The Mormons feared that the U.
S. Marsha!—who is a "Gentile"'—would in
terfere with the execution of their plans, and
therefore ndop ed this mode of getting rid of
him, and substituting the Mormon Territorial
.Marshal in his place. Judge Stiles being ask
ed whether it was possible that he could im
agine his proceedings correct, frankly stated,
"You understand my positiou with this people,
I cannot do otherwise
Judge Stiles opened the Court the next
day, and proceeded to business. The Terri
torial Marshal, Alexander McKay, occupied
the proper station of the Marshal, thus giving
the Court an entirely Mormon aspect, with
Mr. Burr as the only Gentile within the bar
: The journal the preceding day was the read.
: Finding that it recorded the Court as adjourn
|ed "until to-morrow." Mr. Burr asked if the
: record was correct, Judge Stiles replied that
; the crier had misunderstood. The court was
1 still in session on Territorial business. He al
|so remarked that in all the cases to be tried
I before him he should be governed by the laws
of the Territory, and would have recourse t<>
other laws only when enactments of the Terri
torial Legislature could not be made to apply
to the case. Mr Burr then asked hitn if he
understood him to say that lie would be guid
;(d by the laws of the Territory in preference
Ito tile laws of the United States. Before any
: reply could be made, an Attorney named Fer
j commenced a most foul and abusive
| attack upon Mr. Burr. lie then turned to
the Judge, and told him that if he dared to
decide against their laws he could sit on that
bench no longer, and that the court-room would
be cleared "d d quick !"
The district Attorney followed in a violent
harangue, in which ho accused Mr. Burr of
| trying to set aside the Mormon laws, and mid
that the Mormons had submitted to Gentile
iuterfencc long enough, that they were now go
ing to have their own, and had good authority
for what they did, as well as safe backers.—
The room was filled at the time with armed
ruffians, who constituted the "backers" alluded
to. As soon as Mr. Burr and Mr. T. S. Wil
liams got up to reply, the Territorial Marshal
ordered them peremptorily to stop ; and im
mediately the whole audience sprang to their
feet, and the Danite murderers, who filled the
Court, threw off their coats, brandished their
kinqes and revolvers, and created so great
confusion that the Judge was obliged to ad
journ the court at next.
The the next morning, the Court opened
amid intense excitement. The whole Mormon
populace were armed, and had been inflamed
to such a degree by the incendiary speeches of
Ferguson, Stout and others, that the least pre
tence would have been availed of to massacre
every Gentile in the place. The names of
Mes <rs. Burr and Williams were stricken from
the list of attorneys, and the Court immediate
ly adjourned sine die.
COMKT STRUCK.—A lady in Owen county,
lowa, has become deranged from dwelling
with morbid apprehensions upon the predicted
collision with the comet. We regret to learn
of several instances occurring iu this city, in
which persons have shown evidence of some
thing akin to insanity, the cause of which is di
rectly traceable to their apprehensions of the
destruction of the world by the much-talked-of
comet.— Albany Argus.
Vetf Advice from the City of Mexico of
May J, stute that Col. Crabb's California fili
bustering party had been attacked at Coborea
by the Mexican troops and forced to surren
der at discretion. The prisoners, sixty in num
ber, including Mr. Crabb, were all to be shot.
Later advices from the City of Mcvico
state that the Sonora filibusters, including
their leader, were all shot on the 6th of May.
The country quiet.
BnMorb importer.
E. O. GOODRICH, EDITOR.
TO WANDA.:
(Jljnrsban fßormnn, filan 28, 1837.
TERMS — Onr Dollar per annum, invariably in advance.—
Four weeks previous to the expiration of a subscription,
notice will be given by a printed wrapper, and if not re
newed, the paper will in alt cases be stopped.
Cl.l'Bßi.svi— The Reporter will be seat to Clubs at the fol
lowing extremely tow rates :
S copies for {."> Oh j 15 copies for.. . ?12 00
10 copies for S 00 [ 20 copies for 15 00
ADVERTISEMENTS — For a square of ten tines or less, One
Dollar for three or less insertions, and twenty-Jive cents
for each subsequent insertion.
Job-Work Executed with accuracy and despatch, and a
reasonable price*—with every facility for doing Rooks,
Blanks, Hand bills, Bali tickets, 4'C.
MONEY may be sent by mail, at our risk—enclosed in an
envelope, and properly directed, we trill be responsible
for its safe delivery.
FOR GOVERNOR,
DAVID V7ILMOT, of Bradford Cc.
FOR CAN'AI, COMMISSIONER.
waff, aff ILL WARD, of Philadelphia.
for. JUDGES Of THE SUPREME COURT,
JOSEPH J. LEWIS, of Chester Co
JAXtffES VEECH, of Fayette County.
SALE OF THE MAIN LINE.
The Legislature which adjourned last week,
passed many laws which had much better been
left undone, but the passage of the law to sell
the main line of the public works should be
sufficient to cover a multitude of transgres
sions. We hail the passage of this act as the
dawning of a better day for Pennsylvania.—
While we would save the rights of the public
from oppression and monopoly we have never
theless always felt as if the price to be obtain
ed for these improvements was a secondary
consideration. Regard for the financial inter
ests of the Commonwealth, and particularly
consideration for public morals imperatively
demanded that this fruitful source of corrup
tion and demoralization should be broken up.
The main line has nursed a nest of robbers
for years, who held on like leeches until they
were gorged, and fell off, to give place to a
new and hungry set. It has exerted a baleful
and corrupting inlluence both morally and po
litically. We trust the time has now come
w hen this Augean stable will lie cleansed, aud
the horde of thieves and plunderers be dispers
ed.
The main line sold, and the stealings attach
ed to the office ot Canal Commissioners will he
! very materially diminished. The Upper North
! Branch has been virtually taken from them.
The management of that work will contrast so
strongly with want of energy on the remain
der of tiic public works that it w ill not be long
before the office will be abolished, and the im
provements, if not sold, placed iu the hands of
: men who will be directly responsible.
| The Act providing for the sale of the Main
! Line of the Public Works, makes it the duty
of the Governor to advertise the sale within
ten Cays after the approval of the Act. It
declares that the sale may be made for a sum
not less than $7,500,000. No bid to be ac
cepted unless the sura of SIOO,OOO is deposit
ed with the Governor, in cash or State bonds,
to be forfeited if the terms of the sale are not
complied with. If the Pennsylvania Railroad
| Company purchase it, the price is $9,000,000,
| the whoie amount of sale to be paid in the five
per cent. l>onds of the Company. Of those
bonds, SIOO,OOO will fall due July 31st, 1858,
i and SIOO,OOO annually thereafter until July
31st, 1890, $1,000,000 will fall due, and sl,-
000,000 annually thereafter till the whole is
i paid. The Company and its connections ore
| released from the payment of all other taxes
j or duties on its capital stock, bonds, dividends
| or property, except for city, borough, county,
| township and school purposes. It may pur
; chase or lease the Harrisburg and Lancaster
road, and it may straighten and improve the
I Philadelphia and Coluinbiu Railroad, and cx
, tend it to the Delaware. The purchaser of
! the works is to have a perpetual corporate
I succession, but the Legislature may revoke the
j privileges granted for abase of them, a judi
| eiul decree of abuse being previously had, and
i full compensation being made to the stockhol
: ders, if the State decide to resume the fran
j chises The purchasers are prohibited from
making any discrimination in tolls, or charges,
or any priority of passage through locks pas
i sing to or from the Susquehanna division.—
; They shall at all times keep open the present
| connection at Columbia and Middletowu with
j the Susquehanna, Tide Water and Union Ca :
nals, and shall at no time discriminate against ■
i the trade or tonnage passing to or from the ,
said canals ; neither 811811 they at any time i
charge more for boats or other crafts passing !
the outlet locks at Columbia and Middletown, i
than is now charged for the passage of boats
or similar crafts through other locks owned i
by this Commonwealth.
In pursuance of this law the Governor has
advertized the Mam Line for sale at the Mer-'
chants' Exchange in Philadelphia, on the 25th
of June next, at 7 1-2 o'clock, P. M. The
property advertised consists of the following :
—The Main Line of the Public Works be
tween Philadelphia and Pittsburg, consisting
of the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad,
the Allegheny Portage Railroad, including the
new road to avoid the Inclined Planes, with
the necessary and convenient width for the
proper use of said Railroads, the Eastern Di
vision of the Pennsylvania Canal, from Colum
bia to the Junction, the Juniata Division of
the Pennsylvania Canal, from the Junction to
the Eastern terminus of the Allegheny Por
tage Railroad, and the Western Division of i
the Pennsylvania Canal, from the Western J
terminus of the Allegheny Portage Railroad
to Pittsburg, and including also the right, ti
tle and interest of the Commonwealth in the
Bridge over the Susquehanua at Duncan's Is
laud, together with the same interest iu the
surplus Water Power of said Canals, with the
right to purchase and hold such lands as may
be necessary to make the same available, aud
all the Reservoirs, Machinery, Locomotives,
Cars, Trucks, Stationary Engines, Work
Shops, Tools, Water Stations, Toll Ilouses,
Offices, Stock and Materials, whatsoever and
wheresoever thereunto belonging or held for
the use cf the same.
APPORTIONMENT ACT.
The following is the Apportionment made
by the late Legislatnre. It will be seen that
Bradford retains two members of the House,
but is included iu quite a large Senatorial dis
trict :
SEVATOKIAT. DISTRICTS.
City of Philadelphia * Dauphin and Lebanon 1
Cluster and Delaware 1 Lancaster .2
Montgomery 1 York 1
Bucks 1 \danis, Franklin & Fulton. 1
Lehi-h and Northampton-1 Somerset, Bedford and Hunt-
Berks 1 tnsdon 1
Schuylkill 1 j Blair,Cambria & Clearfield. 1
Carbon, Monroe, l'ike ami| Indiana and Armstrong.. .1
Wayne 1 j Westmoreland A Fayette . 1
Bradford, Tusqnehann, Sul ! Washington and Green... 1
livau and Wyoming ijAllcghcny 2
Luzerne 1 Beaver and Butler 1
Tioga. Potter, McKean and Lawrence, Mercer and Ve-
Warren . . ljnango 1
Clinton, Lycoming, Centre Krie and Crawford 1
and Union. 1 Clarion, Jefierson, Forest
Montour, Northumberland 'and E1k.,., ; 1
Columbia aiiu Snyder 11
Cumberland, Perry, Juniata! Total 33
and Mifflin II
REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS.
Phila.City (districted). .17 Cumberland aud Perry... .2
Delaware County 1 Adatns 1
Chester 3 Franklin and Fulton 2
Montgomery 3 Bedford and Somerset 2
Bucks 2 Huntingdon 1
Lehigh and Carbon 2 Blair 1
Northampton 2 Cambria 1
Monroe and Pike 1 Indiana 1
Wayne 1 Westmoreland and Arm-
Luzerne 3 strong 3
Susquehanna 1 Fayette 1
Bradford. . 2 Green 1
Wyoming, Sullivan, Colum Washington. 2
bia and Montour 2 Allegheny 5
Lycoming and Clinton... .2 Beaver and Law re nee ... .2
Centre 1 Butler 2
Mifllin 1 Mercer and Mcnango 2
Union.Snyder and Juniata 'ijCUrion and Forest .... 1
Northumberland 1 \ Jefferson,Clearfield, Elk and
Schuylkill 3 McKean 2
Dauphin 2 Crawford and Warren 2
Lebanon l|Erie u 2
Berks Jjt'otter and Tioga 3
Lancaster 4
York 21 Total 100
NEW Music BOOK. —Messrs. J. B. Lippin
cott A Co., of Philadelphia, have just publish
ed a new musical work entitled the " Family
Circle Glee Book," containing about 200 songs,
glees, choruses, Ac., including many of the
most popular pieces of the the day, arranged
and harmonized for four voices, with full ac
companiment for the piano, seraphina and
melodeon, for the use of glee clubs, singing
schools, and the home circle. Compiled by
Ei.ias llowf.. This work is admirably adapt
ed to the requirements of the musical public,
as it contains more desirable music than any
ever before published. For sale by O. D.
BARTLETT.
ffiaj"*-Tlie injury done to the Johnny Cake
darn, on the Junction, is being repaired as
speedily as circumstances will permit. Should
the present favorable weather continue, the
delay to navigation will not continue long.—
The Horse Race dam, below, is more seriously
damaged, but Mr. MAFFLT'S energy and perse
verance, (particularly now that his hands are
not tied) are a guarantee that everything will
be done that any man can accomplish. The
water has been let in from Athens to this place,
and the Canal is in fine order.
ffiaf A correspondent at Wyalusing writes
us that an ox belonging to Mr. JOHN BRAN VAN
of that township, having died, after an illness
of two weeks, Mr. B. made a post mortem
examination to ascertain the cause of his death,
and found a darning needle imbedded in the
heart of the animal, which had evidently caus
ed its death. Our informant is a person of
the utmost reliability, and the occurrence,
though a very singular one, i 6 unquestionably
true.
We regret to learn that Mr. E. A.
SMITH, formerly of this place, met with a verv
serious accident by falling from the tender of
engine No. 47, on the N. Y. & E. R. R., at
Smith's Mills, Chatanque county, both legs be
ing crushed and otherwise bruised. Though
terribly wounded, strong hopes are entertained
by the attending physicians that he would re
cover, and that amputation would not be nec
essary.
GODEY'S LADY BOOK. —The June number
of Godey's Lady Book is us usual in advance
of all its cotemporaries. The Engraving
" The nearest way in summer time," as well
as the new style fashion-plate is truly artistic,
and we know the ludies will pronouuee them
beautiful. It also contains some new and ve
ry tasty patterns for embroidery, &c., and the
comic alphabet will no doubt meet with gen
eral favor. Ladies' work of all kinds, and
contributions from the celebrated authors in
the States, can always be found in Godey's
Lady's Book.
GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA. —The Harris
burg Herald states that Gov. Geary having
been consulted upon the subject, has consen
ted to accept the nomination for Governor of
Pennsylvania, if tendered by the American
State Convention, soon to assemble at Lan
caster.
SCICIDE. —A wealth and respectable farmer
named William Drew, residing near Edenville,
Orange County, committed suicide Saturday
night by cutting his throat with a razor. No
cause is assigned for the act, though deceased
had been in poor health for two or three days
before it.
a®- The Legislature adjourned finally on
Saturday. In the Senate, a message was re
ceived from the Governor, announcing that
the bills to incorperate the Bank of Sharnokin,
Bank of Pottstown, and Lebanon Valley
Bank, and the bills increasing the capital of
the York County Bank and Manufacturers and
Mechanics' Bank of Philadelphia had become
a law without his signature through lapse of
time. Mr Taggart formally resigned his post
as Speaker of the Senate, and an election
was then to be held for his successor, which
resulted in the choice of D. A Finney, the
American Republican nominee. Mr. Finney
took the oath of office, and delivered a short
address.
R. R. LITTLE, ESQ. Editor of the North
Branch Democrat, has been appointed by at
torney General Black, Judge Advocate of one
of the Naval Courts of Inquiry, for the Uni
ted States, sitting in Washington City.
Mr. GEORGE A. CHASE has succeeded Mr.
L. as Editor of the North Branch Democrat,
Tuukhanuock.
FIRE IN WELI.SBURG. —A fire broke out in
the hotel of R. Piatt, at Wellsbnrg, Chemung
Co., between 3 and 4 o'clock Saturday morn
ing, and destroyed the hotel, and a grocery
store and dwelling adjoining it. The progress
of the flames was so rapid that the inmates of
the hotel barely escaped by jumping from the
windows. The loss is about SIO,OOO. Par
tially insured.
IThomas Cunningham of Pennsylvania,
has resigned his Associate Judgeship in Kan
sas.
RCT.I.OFFE IN OWEGO. — A good mnny read
ers of the Gazette will doubtless be startled by
the caption to this paragraph ; but there is
nevertheless so much truth in it as this, that
there are circumstances which lead the suspi
cion that RvUoffc, in the disguise of a woman,
actually staid at the Ah-wa ga House in this
Village, during the day and night following
bis escape from the Ithaca jail—which will be
remembered, on the night of the sth inst.—
The circumstances as related to us, are these :
On the evening of the 4th, a gentleman and
lady—entire strangers—stopped at the Ah
wa-ga, took a room, and remained over night.
In the morning they were absent from the
house for a while ; but finally returning, repair
ed to their room, where their meals were serv
ed to them, aud where they remained until in
the course of the next night they departed in
one of the express trains. It is moreover be
lieved that the women who returned to the Ah
wn-ga, after the temporary absence in the morn
ing, was not the woman who slept there the night
previous, but the murderer RULLOFFF dis
guised in her apparel.
DECISION* OF THE RCLI.OFFE CASE. —It will
be seen by the decisions made at the General
Term last week, that the application for a new
trial in the case of The People agt. RNL
loffe, was denied. But for the escape of the
prisoner he would doubtless have been brought
here on Saturday last and received the sen
tence of death. As it is, we suspect some lit
tle time will elapse before the Court will be
called upon to discharge that duty— .Outgo
Gazette.
THE GREAT SNAKE DEN in East Hartford,
beats the entire country. It is on the edge
of the old Ilitter Quarry, and Mr. Ransom
White, who reside in that vicinity, has taken
two hundred and fourteen snakes from that
single den ! No other snake den in thiscountry
has as yet equalled this. He took out the
first lot of 92 on the 10th of April, and from
day to day, by removing rocks and digging, he
found additional families or " balls" of them,
for it appears that the snakes, to the number
twenty or more, wind themselves into a ball
and remain in that condition during the win
ter. Most of the number were black snakes,
measuring from three to four and a half feet
in length ; but among these were three racers,
a long slim snake, with a white ring around
the neck, and three little racers, not over
three inches in length ; also seven poisonous
adders.
j There seems to be some difference in the
appearance of these adders, some of them hav
ing flutter heads than others, and brighter
spots on them. One of them in particular, a
large vicions looking fellow, flattens himsi-lf
through his entire length, his head being as
; flat as a cent : when he is annoyed, he throws
j the upper part of his head back, and strikes
| likes a rattlesnake. He is about three feet
long, his tail is tapering off abruptly, the
point for about 2 inches being not much lar-
I ger than a piece of small twine. He is evi
dently as poisonous as the rattlesnake. Mr.
White had a large show case full of these ser
pents, all alive, on exhibition here on election
day ; they drew together a large crowd. A
friend suggest that for a mile or more around
tnat snake den, few snakes will be seen this
season, but that the ground moles will great
ly increase. Let the fact be uoted—Hurl
ford Times, Sitrudiy.
THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER. —Afew years since,
a farmer living near Easton, PH., sent his
j daughter on horseback to that town, to pro
cure from the bank, small notes for one hun
; dred dollars. When she arrived there the
bank was closed ; and she endeavored to ef
feet her object by offering it at several stores,
but could not get her note changed. She had
not gone far on her way, when a stranger
rode up to her and accosted her with so much
politeness, that she had not the slightest sus
picion of any evil intention on his part. Af
ter a ride of a mile or two, employed in a ve
ry social conversation, they came to a retired
part of the road, and the stranger commanded
her to give him the bank note. ,
It was with some difficulty that she could
be made to believe him in earnest., as his de
meanor had been so friendly ; but the presen
tation of a pistol placed the matter beyond a
doubt, and she yielded to necessity. Just as
she held the note to him, a sudden puff of
wind blew the note into the road, and carried
it gently several yards from them. The dis
courteous knight alighted to overtake it, and
the lady whipped to get out of his power, and
the horse which had been standing by her
side, started with her. His owner fired a pis
tol after her, which only tended to increase
the speed of all parties, and the lady arrived
safe at home with the horse of the robber, on !
which was a pair of saddle-bags. When these
were opened, besides a Quantity of counterfeit
bank notes, fifteen hundred dollars in good mo
ney was found. The horse proved to be a
good one, and when saddled and bridled, was
thought to lie worth at least as much as the
bank note that was stoleu.
The White Murder in Pennsylvania—
Strangely Acquired Confession of the
Principal.
The Pittsburg Despatch, after stating that
certain motives for suppression have now ceas
ed to exist, publishes the following extraordi
nary particulars of the confession of Bill Jone<
now confined on the charge of having murder
er a Mr. White in Washington countv Pa
It will be remembered that this Jones' was
arrested on the testiraouy of his sister Char
lotte, who, with Fife and another, is accused
of the murder ot the old couple, Wilson and
his sister, in the same vicinity. The Despatch
gays ;
Shortly after the re-arrest of Bill Jones
and his confinement in jail, there was an apr a
rent change in his personal derm-anor He
seemed to have lost all relish for life, and wag
evidently weighed down by an intolerble bur
den. He was nervous, restless aud besought
the jailor and sheriff to permit some one of
the jail inmates to sleep with him. His re
quest was granted, and he shared Lis cell with
a prisoner named Hutchinson, awaiting trial
for burglary. Soon after, Jones made a con
fident of Hutchinson, and narrated to him the
particulars of the White murder, and confess
ed himself the principal actor in that bloody
affair. Hutchinson reported what Jones had
told to him to the jailor and one or two others
who would not believe him, circumstances at
that time strongly pointing to another party
in their opinion, as the perjietrator. Hutchin
son then told them that if they would arrauge
the time and place so as to overhear the con
versation, he would induce Jones to repeat
for their hearing what he had himself heard.
Various expedients were tried to secure au
ricular commuuication with the cell from with
out, but they failed. At last an artificial
ear, fashioned after the human ear, and admi
rably adapted to magnify the faintest whisper
to audible articulation, was produced, and so
arranged, that every word was distinctly
heard through an almost imperceptible aper
ture in the wall.
Everything being arranged. Hutchinson, at
a favorable momeut alluded to the murder,
and desired Jones to repeat the particulars,
which he did, the substance is as follows :
The Saturday prior to the murder of White,
(March 28,) Bill and his wife Sarah were at
the house of Mr. Fleming, in Columbia, where
they stayed that night, aud next morning pro
ceeded thence to the house of Bill's father's
near Dunningsville. Arriving there he des
patched his brother Madison with Charlotte
Jones to Hickory to tell Fife jwho resided
there with Charlotte Jones till the 2d of
April, according to her own statement before
Mayor Weaver,) that he (Bill) would b-jthree
that night. In the evening, about nine
o'clock, Bill left his father's and proceeded to
Hickory, where he arrived about one o'clock
in the morning. Fife and himself then started
for White's. When they arrived there they
spent some time in examining the premises.
They did not intend to commit murder, but
rob White of his money which they learned was
in the house. While near the house they
beared footsteps, and supposed that White
was awake.
Tuey then went to the wood pile, and Bill
pot the uxe and entered the liou>e. White
was in the bed at the time, and Mrs. White
seeing them fled. Bill proceeded to the bed
room, and with his own hands committed the
murder, while F.fe searched the house for
money, Bill stated to Hutchinson that he
did not know whether Fife found any money
or not, as he had never had or seen any tuken
at that time. Having lonimitted the robbery
and murder they fled, Fife returning to Hick
ory-
This statement confirms the particulars of
the White murder, as given by Mrs. White,
though she did not know the murderers.
LAND SPKCCATTON IN THE WEST—M e are
told that a certain bank in a certain Dairy
i county in the centre of this state, had on de
' posit in the spring of 1846, the sum of $455.-
j 000, money of the farmers. Week before
; last its deposit account footed up only some
$25,000, and the farmers of that county were
borrowing money for their spring operations.
The deposits in the bank had been drawn for
investment in the far West. A portion went
directly into the lands to be held for a raise
The residue and the larger part was trans
mit ted to be loaned at four and five per cent
a month, on real estate security, and the legal
assurance of unlimited usury laws. We have
also been informed that the surplus moneys of
very many other counties of ibis State have
gone the same way as the deposited earnings
of the Dairy district we have mentioned.
That the loans thus made will he perma
nent, and lawfully permanent, all who know
the West can well say. They will t ur o
out, by the operation of the bankruptcy of
the borrowers, to be simply investments in
land at enormous prices. The money will nev
er come back here. The pit of unlimited in
terest beyond the Mississippi is bottomless.
We thus can place our touch upon one ol
the connections which New \ ork has witha
very scarlet fever of land speenlation, now
burning through the West. Dry-goods joo.
bers, grocers, hardware dealers and clothiers
in New York city, can place their fingers on
other chords which tie ns all to the patient ol
this fertile disease. Its pulsations are felt
through Ledgers and Note Books, in over due
aocounts and protested drafts and notes
Their customers far West have bought land
greedily, and have greedily clutched at four per
cent a mouth for money, really belonging to
New Yorkers, but which, if wanted from them
will bear only seven per cent auuum interes*
—Albany Journal.
THE IIOG CITOLERA IN* NEW JERSEY. This
strange disease, which has made such ravages
among the porkers of the West, has also been
very prevaleut in this part of the country.
At Easton, New Hope, Lambertsville and
many other places where large numbers of hogs
are kept, hundreds have died, and the disease
has not yet disappeared, neither has its cause
been acertaincd.
DESTRUCTION OF SHEEP. —As the Express
traiu bound sonth on the Canndingua ami tl
raira Road when just north of Watkins, a flock
of near sixty sheep gathered on the track, aud
before the train could be stopped about twen
ty of them were run over and killed