Items of News.
THE TRAGEDY IN ARKANSAS..
""Wc have piililiqhed a parngrapli, stating
that a Mr. Anthony, aYnombcr of. tji'b Ar
kansas Legislavtiic, had been killed in a
rencontre with ,Cdl. Tfflson, the Speaker
of the Lower House. It appears, from the
particulars since received, that this murder
'jo'Us outragoSwas actually committed on the
floor of the House, while in session the
Speaker, in consequence -of .some offen'sivo
remark directed against him by llio unfortu
nate member, having come down from his
soft, armed with a JJotoic knife! The mcm
bor, it ?s slated, was also armed with the
samd weapon, but the rencontre lasted only
for a moment, the latter "having 'been left
dead on the floor, and the Spcakter having
had one hand nearly cut oil, and the other
severely injured. Wilson was forthwith
arrested by the civil authorities, and his
name stricken from the roll '6f the House,
by nearly n unanimous vote.
Painful Disclosure It will be remem
bered that a package of poisoned coffee was
some rn6'tVlh3 jsiftce left at the residence of
Mr. Otis, a highly respectable merchant liv
ing in Waverly Place, and that $1000 re
ward was offered for the discovery of the
person or persons who made this treacher
ous attempt upon the lives of Mr. O's fam
ily. The reward it now appears, had the
desired effect of discovering the wretched
individual who prepared and sent the pois
'oiYotis fruit, and who, proves to be the wife
of an eminent physician of this city. Jcal
tiusy is said to have been the cause of this
mad-crime, and the unhappy perpetrator of
jt immediately embarked tor Hmglanil, on
being discovered. It seems she employed
a servant to carry tho coffee to Mr. Otis's
dwelling, and tell tho person who received
it that'Mr.IO. had ordered it home as r
sample. We shall suppress further par
"ticulars of this painful event, as tllcy can be
of no public benefit, and wottld injure the
feelings of innocent persons. It is sufficient
to know that Jthc unhappy lady, though her
wealthy lriends have shielded her lrom the
venzeenco of the laws, is discovered and
punished. Such crimes are always brought
to light 'arid what is a greater punishment
than to be banished iriends, relatives and
home, and suffer the torments of a guilty
tonscicnce i new York Sun.
From ilif Norfolk Herald, Daft 50.
Dicchon Saturday ninht lost; Mn Peter
Singleton; nged 33'cars.v J
Descended from one of the oldest, weal
thiest, and most respectable families in our
neighborhood, and left almost tho sbhrpos
scssor of the vast familv estate, the subject
f this notico found himself, on the dav
hen the law allowed him to enter upon it,
in possession of a "property which could
hot be estimated far short of .'100.000.
"Unfortunately, though no common pains
ad been bestowed on his education, and
chad manifested no deficiency of mind oi
IcrcHctiefh of principle, he was left to his
iwn inclinations and propensities, which
led him to the idlo pleasures and dangerous
cuuitus uuu ussueiauuus willed (am inc
foundation of his ruin. Ho was courted,
flattered and caressed, by the artful and dc-
"signing who know his weakness and sought
to tauc advantage ot it It is needless to
enter into particulars In two- or three
years the race course and tho gaming table
swept Ins largo estate, and left him a help
less dependent on a few friends; but habits
t intemperance which ho had acquired by
is association at tho gaming table, and in
which ho now indulged to u greater excess
than ever, to drown the reflection of the ef
fects of his folly, soon unfitted him for any
thcr society than that which is lound ml
tho lowest resorts of drunkenness we
would not unnecessarily wound any feel
ing of affinity but the lesson he has left
to tho rising generation, to warn thorn a
gainst the snares and pitfalls which beset
their paths in the pursuit ol vicious plea
sures is too usclul to be thrown away.
On Saturday ho was conveyed, by pnvats
charity, in a state of insensibility,, to the
Almshouse, and the sanrc night his wretch
ed cxist'enct was terminated,
A Noble Deed. A few davs since a con
leman frpm Philadelphia, with his wife and
only child, a daughter aboilt four years
old, had taken passage on board the Steam
boat Buffalo, which whs making prepara
tions to depart; The little daughter had
wanddrcd unperccivdd from her father's
urms, arid While playing Hear tho guards
fell overboard; The cry was given of :
ilrmvn'mff child! The father could not
swim the mother in an instaat becamo al
most distracted. At length the former cried
but. "will no one save my child ! my on
ly child !" At tho moment a boy, appar
ently about twelve years of age, sprang lor
wnril. savimr "sir. I'll try tri save youi
child !" "And doffing his fur cap, the little
boy plunged in with his clothes and boots on
The child was going down the second tlmi
in thirty feet water, when the boy caugh
the treasure and restored it safdly to its mo
tW. The beat of it is the boy refused
enmnensation for what he had done. Pitts
bUrg Express.
IIARRISBURG AND LANCASTER
RAIL ROAD,
This road is completed to Lancaster, and
has heon some months in use, with the cx-
ceptidii of the tunnel through the hill near
ElizabdtlitoWri, which was perforated some
weeks since, and it was expected that the
"rock thrdugh which it was cut would have
Iikaii sufficiently solid to sustain the earth
n'.ntrn. wiilinnt'archinir: but it is found that
it wnnlfi not bo salei as a small part of
'has fallen in. Tho company then doter
"jntffcd to arch iU arid let the contract to Wil
'liarh dameronEsq. lib lias commenced at
both ends of the tunnel, arid is putting up
a most substantial and neat wall dfdutstono
on each side, which is to be surmounted
With an cliptic arch. He expects to have
It finished by the opening of thd spring;
jf it Jd fmishedlh iKe way it is commenced,
It will be the best specimen of tunnel work
in this country, and do credit to tho enter
prising contractor. Ke'ystdnt:
Tho habit of le.ivinz smalt children a-
lonp 'in rooms, whero fires are burning, la
inexcusable. Lately, .at Haverhill, .Miss,
a little girl, who had been left to takp care
of a child younger than .'herself, had jier
clolhes to take fire id an attempt to reach
tho inantlc-piccc, and was so burned that
she died in a short time. Numerous as
the accidents arc from this cause, it is only
strange they do not occur trioro frequently)
when we take into account the incapacity
of children to judge correctly of how near
they may approach a lire with saicty.
Parents should never leave their tender off
spring alone, or if they, do, they should a-
voiu Having mum ciaiu in coiiou launcs,
which become easily ignited, and burn ra
pidly. The case abovo mentioned should
servo as a caution, and put mothers on
guard.
From the Baltimore Farmer nrtl Gnnlrtcrl
ITALIAN SPRING WHEAT.
Yonic, Pa. Aug. 10, 1837.
E. P. ftobcrls, Esq. Sir, vou cxprci
wish in your valuable paper of the 25th
ultimo, to know the result of the culture of
spring wheat in difierent parts of the coun
try. Thinking that perhaps the experiment
of this county rjiight be of some advantage
to the public we give ita3 far as ascertained,
with pleasure, mrly last tail we ordered
from different parts of New York about 100
bushels of the Italian but succeeded in get
ting only 03 bushels. This, with the ex
ception of about ten bushels, which we
sowed ourselves, was sold in small quan
tities to tho farmers in this county, and we
are gratified to say, it has succeeded far be
yond the expectation ot the most sanguine.
It is generally better than tho winter wheat.
Wo find too that it does not require so strong
a soil. Wo have a lot of four acres, of a
thin chesnut soil, improved by lime pnd
manure, which we think will give us thirty
bushels to the acre. All that wo have
heard of is free- from mildew and rust,
while a large portion of the winter wheat
in this county was injured by it.
Respectfully yours,
P. A. fe S. SMALL.
This wheat has tho wonderful property
of doing well on poor worn land, though of
fill I f j
course ine crop win uc Heavier on a inuiu
favorable soil. Tho fact is well ascertain
ed that land so light and worn down that it
will not produce a crop ol oats, will bring a
fair crop of spring wheat. uenesee intr
mer.
Private Hanging. There is a curious
police report in a late London paper, set
ting forth tho particulars of a privato exe
cution, commenced bul riot completed, by
reason of tho interference of a police officer.
He was patrolling along tho Hampstcad
road one evening, when he saw two men
upon the top ot a wall, and m a moment
after one of them appeared to be hanging
from a lamp iron, fastened in the wall.
The officer ran up, marvelling greatly what
all this could mean, and was saluted by a
whacking blow on the Hose, from the sus
ponueu inciivuiual, wnosc ropo nail given
way and lot him down, to the 'ground before
the work of strangulation was effected.
Tho other, man decamped; but Was arrested
by another policeman; and both haiigman
and subject were conveyed to the public of
fice1'. On their examination it appeared
.that they had been tossing up coppers first
taking money, then tljeir clothes, and fi
nally life against life, one of them having
stripped Ills antagonist of all other posses-
sions. i nc toss iicmg deemed the winner
proceeded very deliberately to realize his
luck by the application 'of a hempen cord,
the loser quietly submitting. The half-
hanged fellow told the magistrate, quite
THE COLUMBIA DEMOCRAT.
lly Ingram & Sill In.
"rnvTii without rr.An.
SATURDAY, JAN. O, 1838.
SCJacob Hinum, Esq. of Danville,
has been ro-appointed Clerk to the County
Conimissioncis.
THE REFORM CONVENTION.
This body are still engaged in suggesting
amendments' to the present Hanking system.
A resolution to adjourn on the 2d of
next month has passed by a vote of 53 to
50 , and the members arc restricted to one
hour in delivering thcirspdcchcs. This re
minds us of the rules in somo junior polem
ic associations, in which more attention is
paid to the time of delivery thairto the sub'
jeet undcrdisension'. Theirlabors will doubt
less be submitted to the decision of tho
people in October next ; and the result, in
our opinion, from the prejudices of tho peo
ple, cannot bo extremely doubtful.
SHIN PLASTERS;
The Senate of the United Slates have
passed a bill prohibiting tho issue or circu
lation, within the District of Columbia, of
all notes uniler the denomination of $5.
The bill passed without a dlsscntintr vote
confidently, that if he had won the toss, b31 voting for it, and the residue of the .52
The fol-
gonc
should certainly have tucked the other up:
and he thought himself bound in honor
to submit when the chance had
gainst him. Com Mv.
Triac or Richard K; FrtosT The trial
before the New York Court of Sessions,
of Richard K. Frost, Thompsonian practi
tioner, on a charge of manslaughter for al
leged malpractice, resulting in the deatli of
a Mr. French, was brought to a close on
Saturday last. The jury returned a ver
dict against i rost ofguilty of manslaughter
in tho fouith degree, but recommended
him to mercy. A motion was made for a
now trial, and in the meantime Frost is
permitted to go at large until a decision is
made.
Senators declining to vote at all !
lowing are tho yeas and nays, from whie.I
it will be seen that the Democratic Senators
are opposed to the shin-plaster currency,
whether created by corporations or individ
uais.
YEAS Messrs. Allen, Denton, Drown,
Buchanan, Clay of Alabama, Cuthbert, Ful
ton, u.rundy, Hubbard, Kmc Lumpkin.
T I TiT.Tr . TVT. TVTM- TVt 11
jjiuii, mi;iuuu, ,v icnuias, imics, rxorveu,
Pierce, Rives, Roane; Robinson, Sevier,
Smith of Connecticut, Smith of Indiana.
Strange, Tipton, Walker, Wall, Whlti
-Williams, Wright and Young 31.
Nays None.
CATTAWISSA HOTEL.
This valuable property, it will bo obscr-
1 .... rr t . n..l I? . ci.i
ved, will uo onercu in ruuiic oaic on tuo
first of February. It affords strong induce
ments tothoso who would desire to purchase
first rate tavern stand. The property
must increase in value ; anil in me bustling
and thriving village of Cattawissa must se
cure a large share of public patronage if
properly conducted.
We learn from the Bucks County Intcl
igencer, that on Sunday morning,-Decem
ber 21, a man was found in the road, neat
Makofield meeting house, in that county, in
a state of insensibility, caused, as is sup
posed, from exposure to the pelting storm
of the preceding night. He was, apparcrit-
y, -15 or 50 years of age, 5 feet 4 or 5 in
ches in height, of rather dark complexion,
and bald on his forehead. There was no
thing found upon his person whereby he
.ould be identified.
SPECIE'.
The most important intelligence wo gain
from the London papers, is the exportation
of specie from that jllacc and Liverpool. .
1910 ounces of Gold, and 07G0 ounces of
Silver, have bedn shipped from tho port of
London alone. They state, as tho cause
of these cxportations, that our markets are
already glutted with English Goods, and
the high price of Cotton continuing unaba
ted, these exports arc necessary to cover
the American importations.
tcy William Jf 'illits, Esq., formerly of
this place, has been appointed Treasurer of
Luzerne county. This appointment by the
County Commissioners, must not only give
satisfaction to their constituents'; but from
the probity and qualifications of Mr. Wil
llts, so well known to his numerous friends
in Columbia, the act must ho viewed as a
reward of merit, which could not have been
bestowed upon a more honorable or com
petent incumbent. Besides tho purity of
his moral reputation, Mr. "Willits possesses
those stern principles of democracy which
at some future day must elevate him to a
more conspicuous public station.
Baltimore, Dec. 27.
Melancholy Death by Hydrophobia.
Vc regret to have it fall to our lot to record
the death or Gcorgo Washington, an inter
esting little son of Mr. Jdhn Foster, aged
.1 A. months, bv hydrophobia.
This child was bitten by a mad dog in
Eutaw strcdt, abont 7 or eight weoks since,
but showed no signs of that dreadful mala
'Ar Tin til about ft Week aso, since which
timeheiiad bceri suffering in tho greatest
agony, until Sunday, when ho was relioy
fi t,v death. The. poor little, victim bit his
nil to niee.es. and expressed
tonjrin" desire to bito his father and moth
er aneTalady that resided in tho house
...!.t, iiiHwi. Wo understand that three o-
ther persotlS Were bitten by the same dog,
'..! : ..m. cnfTpririfr in the urea'
one oi wiiuni " o .
lest agony with the! hydrophobia. at.
An eloquent profes-soriil the healing art,
-l.-JL ..:-o. (tin Tiftielo of calomel
I .t.. .rSnmsnn: the club of
II IS UlU jaw uuiiu r , . , .
yt l... ivnr ami fu crum of Arclu
WsUe ( and tho terror of old maid.
INTERESTING TO FARMERS.
An English paper relates that a practical
farmer at the annual dinner of the Preston
Agricultural Society, gave some account of
Various Hliurusuil" inauuvuiiua m iiiiiiiuk
nnrtlcularlv as related to economy of seeds
lie said that he had always been of the o
pinion that much le'S3 seed than was gener
ally used for grain would answer the pur
nose. With this impression he made ex-
1 t. -v. -. . f ,1
perimonts upon ditlerent portions oi me
ground. He had planted at the rale of one
grain ot wheat to a squato 1001, or nine
irrains to a yaru. in several instances one
rrrain hsd produced 38 stems in others
.. . . i ... -ii .-I -..m
rat ncr less out in an a urmi uiniiiy a"'
cient. He had also examined the heads,
and fdund that one head contained as many
as fdrtv-two crams. The general result
of his calculation showed a produce at the
rate of fortvtwo bushels per statute acre.
There wcrd 4010 grains in hall a pounu oi
wheat, and thus acordlng to the proportion
he had named, 4 lbs. 10 oz. of seed would
bo found sufficient for a statutd acre. 1 his
he thought was a subject deserving the con
sideration of agriculturalists. He had this
car drilled three bushels ol wheat at me
rate of six bushels forthreo acres, .in rows
of from 12 to 13 incheis asunder, and
though this was only to a small extent fol
lowing out the foimdr experiments yet it
would bo a guide to tho principle.
Wo understand that tho Bank of Charles
ton has made an arrangement with one of
the first Banking institutions in bngland, to
Uppn a direct account with 'them, and is
nrnnnrodto buv aienuiEanu roreiini
change from purchasers of piodnce, and al
sd to supply Sterling Bills td importers of
Foreign Goods. This is the first arrange
ment of this characterevcr made by a Bank
in ilml r.itv. and wo consider it a highly im
portant stop towards opeinlnga direct trado
with buropei
Exchange upon England is below rnl
par; so that the tendency of money is to the
Uniicd States, rattier man irow wium
The following bull hass been perpetrated
by a correspondent of a morning paper,
who, writing from Havre, says, "a dozen
fat oxen arrived by the English packet for
one of the principal graziers in this neigh
borhood: thev arc destined to improve the
breed of the cattlb here;"
Accounts from .Toionto, states that flour
has rir'ert to tiventy dollars per barrel: new
corn, e"7i dollars, and good hogs, to
make prime mess pork, five dollars per
hundred.
A Bui.t.. Somo of tho papers have com
mitted a bull by saying that "tho state house
of the Wisconsin Territory was burnt."
Harvey, the Onedia Bank robber, has
been sentenced to the state prison for four
years and ten months.
Tho scene at St. Charles, after that
bloody affair, is described as revolting.
A citizen ot Albany, just returned lrom
thence, saw the hogs devouring tho dead
bodies of tho patriots! ! This confirms
previous ccounts. It is said that the
most atrocious brutalities were committed
at this place by the British soldiers.
Western Flour in New York, was SO
per barrel, on Saturday.
John Jacob Astor, of New York, has
subscribed 5,000 towards the -'association
for the relief of aged females."
Judge Lewis, no v a distinguished law
yer and Judge m Pennsylvania, was
journeyman printer in tho office of tho New
i oriv wauy Aiiveruser, in loav.
The gas consumed at the Astor House,
new iorK, amounts to over auu per
montin
The Governor of New York, has issued
a proclamation, calling upon tho people of
C!.. u l.-.: J-J ' ll ;n i
niut uimu iu uuaiuui irum uu meL'ai inter
ference with tho domestic concerns of the
Caliadas.
The ship Chester, from Liverpool, bro'
$82,000 dollars in specio, on account of tho
Jianu ol the United States.
Bilumminous coal has been found in Eu
taha township, Potter county, Pa.
Tho New York Star asserts that within
the last two months, millions of foreign cap
nai nave uccn imporicu into mat city.
The number of lives lost by steamboat
accidcrits, oti tho Mississippi river, during
mo laet summer, was 7-iui
Tlie Tennessee Senate, bv a vote of 10
to R; have passed d bill to Suppress tho cir
culation of "change tickets" after the first
bf March next.
About 81,500,000 lias boon expended b
thei stato of Indiana on hor canals anil ral
roads during the past year;
ESTIMATE DAY AT CATTAWISSA.
There is some, gratification in visiting
Cattawissa on the first day of each month
always estimate day, unless Col. Paxton
fails in getting tho rhino. About $10,000
aro paid to contractors on the rail road, who
generally havo plenty of places for immedi
ate investment, and who arc seldom back
ward in meeting their engagements. It is
a dav oi' cash every room being occupied
iii public houses, after leaving the Colonel's
omce, in paying out anu receiving i.icK
Biddle's valuable rags. All are in motion
all generally in a good humor and if some
aro disappointed in not receiving an esti
mate in proportion to their wauts.lhcy usual
ly have the deficiency made up by the lib-
oral assistance of their moro fortunate fel
low-craftsmen. Contractors arc ccnerallv
:cen and intelligent men ; and universally
lave tho character of generous fellows ;
md when they get their monthly estimate
they fully sustain their froe-hcarted reputa
tion. It is a great day in Cattawissa' the
time for mirth and money ; and we can only
predict a similar flow of life and plenty to
Bloomsburg, when the extension to Wil-
liamsport is commenced, which most prob
ably will take place the crisuing spring.
We wish success to all systems of slnlernal
improvement to all who may bo engaged
in their location or construction and as for
the money, we dont care where it conies
from, so thafit circulates in, arid proves a
benefit to, our neighbourhood.
gC7 The weather during the past week,
has leally been moro like tho season for
gentle zephyrs than what usually visits us
on the anniversary of the new year. The
sleigh bells have lost their sound tho whito
covering of tho earth has disappeared and
tho usual hilarity bf sleigh-riding is lost in
the mud which tenders runners useless.
We arc afraid that the weather is unfavora
ble to our farmers, and unless wo get a snow
to cover the grain, they will certainly be
made to suffer considerably.
LUZERNE COUNTY.
Tho Democrats of this county choso del
cgates to the 1th of March Convention on
I uesday evening last. Messrs. Stark and
RnVNOLiis (of the stato legislature,) arc th
representative, and A. II. Broadiiead, Esq
tho Senatorial delegate. Tho selection o
these gentlemen exhibits tho triumphant pu
rity of Luzerne democracy, when their en
orgies are brought into requisition by tho
caviliug's and treachery of wolves
sheeps clothing." Wo are not apprised c
any instructions having been given ; but wo
aro awaio of tho fact that tho gentlemen cho
sen as delegates will spare no exertions in
procuring tho nomination of a candidate
who will secure tho united support of tho
whojo democratic party.
iJC7"From tho subjoined proceedings it
will be seen that Schuylkill county has se
lected dclcsrates to the democratic Fourth of
March convention. The gentlemen chosen
arc staunch democrats, in whom wo could
place every confidence ; and wo hope that
all difficulties may bo amicably arranged in
regard to tho Senatorial delegate. If we
move harmoniously in our primary meet-
ngs, the same spirit will control tho votes
of delegates at the stato convention.
SCHUYLKILL CQUNTY.
At a large and respectable mcetliiff of the
democratic republicans of Schuylkill county
iijuiiuiy ui uiu uuiiiimsirauon oi tuo ucner
nl Government, and opposed to tho rc-elec-
l! f T 1. T1!W. . r-i ...
nun oi josupu liitncr as ijovcrnor ol tins
commop wealth, convened at the court honso
in the borough ofOrwigsburg, on Monday
tno zotn day oi uecember, A. D. 1837,
for tho purpose of electing delegates to tho
uu ui niiiiuii uuu yuiiuuu.
PETER KUTZ, Esn was annointcd
chairman;
George Skitzinceu, George Bodkv,
Sen. WixuAJt Cooper, aud John Eisek-j
hower, Vico Presidents; and.
Francis W.IItciiES and IIenuv Voute,
Secretaries.
On motion, the following persons wcro"
appointed a committee to diaft resolutions?
expressive of tho senso of this meeting,1
viz.
Geoigo Rahn, Jaco.h D. Long, John
Marburger, Frederick Freed, Samuel Boy
cr, Samuel Zimmerman. John Kemnlerling,
Leonard Slough, Cjias Marwine, Benja-
...I.-. TTfinnU. Tl... Tl i . rt ... .
uiu iiwiiin;., xuiiu mxier, oamuci iwoyer
Henry W. Conrad, Solomort Lindner,
Nicholas K. Scitzinger, John Moon, Val
entine Stahl and Abraham' Hcebner; who,
after retiring for a short time, reported the
follbwing, which was" unanimously adop
ted: Resolved. That wo have full confidence
in tho nbilities and sound democratic prin
ciples of MARTIN VAN BUREN, Pres
ident of the United States, and that wo will
uso all honorable means to support him in
his administration.
Resolved, That it is with pride and satis
faction that wo find our present worthy