Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 August 1878 — NEWS OF THE WEEK. [ARTICLE]

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

FOREIGN NEWS. The insurrection in Bosnia continues to give the Austrians trouble. In some places the Turkish regulars fraternize with the rebels, and materially increase the difficulty of sup pressing the disturbance. The Czar has telegraphed the Sultan requesting him to order the evacuation of Batoum. The German representative has also advised the evacuation of Batoura, and the Porte has decided to comply with the advice. The Russian troops are being withdrawn from the vicinity of Constantinople. The Russians will also evacuate Adrianople within six weeks, and Erzeroum and Bayazid will he evacuated upon the withdrawal of the British fleet. The Mark Lane Express, in its last review of the British grain trade, says the wheat harvest promises an improvement on ast year’s. It wits officially stated in the British Parliament that the number of deaths from the famine in India reached the appalling total of 1,850,000. France is to get something in the genoral redistribution of territory, after all, it seems. A Paris dispatch says that the Western powers have consented to a French protectorate over Tunis, a tine Turkish province in Africa, immediately adjoining Algeria on the east. A Vienna dispatch says the Emperor of Austria" 11 is much affected by the resistance offered to tho Austrian occupation of the Turkish provinces. Tho resistance does not come from Mussulmans alone. Revolutionary PanBlavism is behind them.” Joseph Naadel, the well-known French historian, is dead. The Russians have occupied Varna. The garrison is to consist of 10,000 men with 100 guns. The Austrians have again been badly defeated in an encounter with the Bosnian insurgents. Thousands of Turkish troops are oiuing tho latter, and it is reported that tho main Austrian army is falling back upon the river Save. Hoedt l, who made the first of the recent attempts on the life of the German Emperor, was beheaded at Berlin on the lfith of August. Au attempt was made in St. Petersburg, the oilier day, to murder the chief of the Emperor’s private polico. Ho was fired on by two persons, just as ho was leaving a public shop, and was wounded. His assailants drove off as soon as lie fell, and were lest sigh' of. Queen Victoria, in her speech from the throne proroguing Parliament, says that the peace which lias just beou concluded if satisfactory to hor and tho other powers of Europe; it is likely to be a durable ponce, one that will promote tho best interests of her subjects. Tho independence of Turkey has beou thoroughly secured, and it can be upheld against aggression from every quarter. All the banks iu Ohili, South America, have .suspended specie payments. A Belgrade dispatch says that, “three Allstiian Herb regiments, when near Valfka Zworiick, having refused to advance, were decimated. As they still lemained mutinous further executions took place. The remainder were sent prisoners to Austria.” The Rhodope International Commission has returned to Constantinople. The report of the Commissioners, when issued, will more than confirm the terrible statements of Russo-Bulgarian crueltios and outrages. The members give fearful accounts of the barbarities committed in Southern Bulgaria since tin arrival of the Russian army.

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE. Xlust. Three children of Michael Bath were drowned in New York harbor by the upsetting of thoir father’s scow. John H. Raymond, President of Vassal- College, is dead. At Cape May, last week, Prof. Baxter, Professor of Elocution at Harvard College, was drowned while swimming out beyond his depth. Ten thousand people were present at Cherry Valley, N. Y., Aug. 15, to witness the unveiling of a monument to the patriots who fell in the Indian massacre of Nov. 11, 1778. ExGov. Seymour made the address. John E. Leete, the New Orleans reporter who recently testified before the Potter investigating committee, was attacked with a crazy fit in New York, and became so unruly that ho had to be locked up in prison. He distinguished himself by discharging three pistolshots tnrough the door of a room on the second floor of the Astor House. One bullet narrowly missed the night-clerk of the hotel. Another grazed the side of a policeman who had been called to assist in arresting him. Leete is afflicted with, the hallucination that he is followed by persons who desire to murder him t« prevent him from making further revelations to the Potter committee. West The Chicago Daily Commercial Bulletin has crop reports from 261 counties in Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska, lowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri, Colorado and Utah, which indicate that the increase in the acreage of spring wheat is 34.81 per cent., and the average yield per acre, 12.25 bushels, against 17.92 bushels last year ; aggregate yield, 122,000,000 bushels, against 128,537,000 bushels last year. Chicago reports another big defalcation. Charles W. Angell, who has been Secretary of the Pullman Palace Car Company since its organization, pocketed $120,000 of the company’s funds, and left for parts unknown. A big robbery was committed at the Palmer House, in Chicago, a few days ago. Burglars entered the room of Henry Freund, a traveling jeweler from New York, during his temporary absence, burst oi>en a trunk containing his goods, and rifled it of its contents, consisting of about *15,000 worth of valuable jewelry. Tbe robbery was committed iu broad daylight, aud was one of the boldest of the many bold jobs recently executed by the crooked men that infest the Garden City. The plunder was subsequently recovered and one of the burglars captured. South. Six cow-boys recently found a band of eighteen Indians on tbo Neucos river, in Texas, aud, after a sharp fight, killed four of the red-skins, captured one, and put the balance to flight. A panic prevails throughout Western and Northern Mississippi, on account of the appearance of yellow fever at Vicksburg, Grenada and Port Hudson. Only a few cases are reported at Vicksburg and Port Hudson, but at Grenada the fever is raging with un paralleled fury. A desperate affray, growing out of an old family feud, occurred in the streets . J?dg*iUld, 8. 0„ a few days ago, resulting ln

the killing of three men, the mortal wounding of another, and the serious wounding of two others. All the parties engaged in the affair were white men, and had assembled in town to listen tc a political discussion. Politics had nothing to do with the affair. The August returns to the Department of Agriculture show an average condition of the cotton crop in the ten cotton States of 95, a decline of 4. There was a quadruple execution at Donaldsonville, La., on the 14th of August, the victims being all colored men. The murder for which they were hanged was a peculiarly atrocious one. A Columbia (8. C.) dispatch says that Gov. Hampton has forwarded to the Governor of Ohio a requisition asking for the extradition of ex-Gov. A. K. Scott, who lives in Napoleon, Ohio. He is charged with bribery and forgery. The reports from the yellow-fever infected towns of the South are truly distressing. The disease has become alarmingly epidemic at Memphis, aud the citizens are fleeing from the plague as fast as they can get away. The Collector of Internal Revenue and the Postmaster have appealed to the Secretary of War for tents and rations for the poor. Nearly all the towns in all directions are quarantined against the city. The ravages of the epidemic at Grenada have been truly appalliDg. The actiDg Mayor of the town telegraphed North last week that the town was almost completely deserted—only 300 people left, and half of them down with tho fever. A startling sensation was furnished St. Louis, a few days ago, by Josiah P. Colcord, who has been quite prominent there as a lawyer and politician. Colcord shot his mistress, a woman named Lillie Gibbons, with various aliases, and then committed suicide. Colcord had given up wife, family, reputation, and everything for this woman, with whom he was perfectly infatuated.

WASHINGTON NOTES. The President will attend the Minnesota State Fair, to be held at Bt. Paul, Sept. 2-7. A census has just been completed by the District of Columbia authorities, showing the population to be 161,784, an increase of nearly 21,000 since 1870. This addition is chiefly colored. THE PRESIDENTIAL INVESTIGATION. Tho Potter investigating committee met at New York, and resumed the taking of testimony on tho 13th inst. W. H. Roberts, editor of the Now Orleans Times, was the first witness called. He said ho was selected to go to Ohio and see Gov. Hayes, in the interest of the Nicholls Government, shortly after the Returning Board mot. Ho called on Murat Halstead, of the Cincinnati Commercial, as he passed through Cincinnati, and told him that lie had come on for the purpose of learning Gov. Hayes’ views iu regard to tho 3outb, and what policy ho would adopt in the event of his being counted in as President. Tho witness, in tho course of his conversation with Halstead, told him that what could be done would be done to save tho State, remarking to him that “whatever horse loses, our horso wins.” Halstead gave him a sealed lotter to Gov." Hayes, with tho contents of which bo was ignorant. His interview with Gov. Hayes was of au exceedingly pleasant character, and he learned that the Governor entertained the most friendly feeling toward the South. The witness told him that the State must be saved, at all hazards, to the Democrats, aud that whatever ho threw over would in that respect be of the least value to them. He also told the Governor that they could establish or show a vote of 13,000. Gov. Hayes told the witness that he had no desire for the Presidency unless he were counted in fairly. He spoke very kindly and courteously of the South. Witness dotailed, at length, the conversations he had at various times before the matter was definitely settled with Mr. Lamar and others. Witness said, from conversations with various Republican leaders, he understood if Louisiana and South Carolina were counted for Hayes the government of those States would be given to the Democrats. They proceeded on this assurance, and the assurances were carried out. Witness said he understood, from Hayes’ manner aud conversation, that Nicholls’ Government would be given a chance to establish itself. Witness said he was offered the position of Naval Officer at New Orleans, but recommended that it be given to a “nigger.” He would not take any such position where he would be obliged to take care of Kenner, of the Returning Board.

William H. Roberts was further examined by the committee on the 14th. Question by Butler—When did you first hear of the appointment of the McVeagh Commission? A.—About the 20th of February, I think. I was speaking with several parties—Mr. Foster among others—and the question of letting down the Packard people easily came up. Then the commission, with a majority of Repulilicans on it, was suggested. Maj. Vining and others said it was “ a capital idea.” The idea was that the commission, sanctioned by the President aud Secretary of State, would make the ltepublieans in Louisiana yield and give the State to the Nicholls Government. It was well understood that the commission was under official instructions. Q. By Gen. Butler—Then you looked on the commission coming down there as a farce? A. Well, not exactly. Q. But, no matter what the evidence and state of facts were, the commission had to come to a premeditated conclusion? A. Yes, sir; we understood so. Q. It was determined that one Government was to be let down easy ? A. That’s it, exactly. The witness said the only assurances they received that the Packard Government would be let down easy were from Matthews, Foster, Garfield, Dennison, and perhaps Evarts.... John E. Leete, a former tax collector under Kellogg’s administration in Louisiana, was the next witness. He testified that in the census of 1875 it was deemed advisable by the Eepublicans to swell the census of colored people as high as possible, so that the basis of registration could be high, as every colored man was understood to be a Republican. The Democrats ignored that census as a fraud. Witness was told to find a largo Republican census, meaning a large colored contingent. They told me, said witness, to find them, no matter how I did it. I refused to do so. The examination of John A. Leete was continued on the 15th. He said: “When Anderson called on me, after coming from East leliciana, he told me that he had carried out the programme, as was well understood between Kellogg, Anderson and myself. The programme was to keep the colored Re. publicans from voting. It was thought best to exclude the colored Republican vote, so that the Returning Board could throw out the whole Democratic vote of the parish if necessary. Anderson went back to East Feliciana, and a peaceable elec- ' • rfasheld. Anderson told me that he did not mean to make any protest until he found out yrhere the land lay, Kellogg urged me to

do what I could to get Anderson to make the protest. In an interview with Kellogg, he said that, no matter what Anderson would do, he would count the State in for Hayes. We agreed to Kellogg’s plan to count in Hayes. Anderson told me he and Weber had an interview with Sherman, and that Sherman had promised them everything. I told Anderson he was an unmitigated lunatic to believe in anything but a written contract. Another day he called on me, and said : ,“I’ve got it.” I replied, “ What have you got; more taffy?” He said, “No, sir; I’ve got them fixed.” He palled oat a letter and said it was from John Sherman, and was a letter giving him the Naval Office. He showed me John Sherman’s name at the foot of the letter, bnt refused to let me see the remainder of the letter. I had a talk with Darrall and Kellogg abont that letter. Kellogg said the letter was only a general one and non-committal. Kellogg and I considered the count of votes finished before it was begun. I spoke with Darrall about the Sherman letter, and he said it gave no grip to Anderson on the statesmen. John A. Leete was again before the committee on the 16th. He read several letters from Kellogg, one of which is as follows: Willabd’s Hotel, Feb. 25, 1877. Dear Leete: I received your letter. It looks now as if the count would progress, and Hayes bo declared President before the 4th of March. I noticed what you wrote about that “Times special.” I immediately telegraphed a denial to the Times. Packard will be recogniz-d, no donbt, by Hayes, if not by Grant before he goeß out of office. I don’t see how it can be otherwise, and all the leading Republicans here are of that opinion; and Louisiana’s vote was counted, and she did become the corner-stone,.so to speak. Such a .wonder could only occur in such a wonderful coun< ry as this, and only once in 100 years. “ All’s well that ends well.-” Whatever betides, we have made a heap of history, such as it is. Whenever you go into another State Convention, vote right. W. P. Kellogg. Another letter was read, alluding to the witness, who said: “That applies to me. That was the time when I was detailed to watch you (Potter) when you were on that committee, when you got away with Phelps and Foster.” Mr. Potter—l never met with two more honorable men in my life. Your statements are a mistake. Leote—Well, we thought they were very soft, and I was detailed to see after yon ana find out how you got around them.

POLITICAL POINTS. A convention of the Prohibitionists of Michigan was held at Lansing on tho 13th inst. A full ticket for State officers was nominated, headed by Watson Snyder, of Ypsilanti, for Governor, and J. W. McKeever, of Adrian, for Lieutenant Governor. The Connecticut Greenbackers have nominated tho following ticket: For Governor, Charlies Atwater; Lieutenant Governor, Henry Manchester; Secretary of State, Lueien V. Finney; Treasurer, Loren F. Judd; Comptroller, Charles J. Winters. The Democrats of the Eighth Georgia District have renominated Alex. H. Stephens for Congress. Tho Greenbackers of Colorado have nominated Dr. R. G. Buckingham, of Denver, for Governor. The Nationals of the Fourth Pennsylvania District have nominated Judge Kelley for re- election to Congress. The Greenbackers of Nebraska held (heir State Convention at Lincoln last week, aud nominated a full ticket for State officers, headed by L. G. Todd for Governor. J. W. Davis was nominated for Congress. Gen. Grant’s brother Orville, in an interview at Boston the other day, said tho General had written his fiiends that he would on no account accept the Presidential nomination, but that probably he could be educated up to it, as he was ouco before. If he could be made to believe that he was the only mau able to save the country or party, he would allow his name to be used even at the risk of defeat. The Tennessee Democrats have nominated Chancellor Marks for Governor.

MISCELLANEOUS GLEANING 3. The Orange YouDg Britons and ’Prentice Boys of Oitawa, Canada, celebrated the relief of Deny on the 12th inst. by a procession and picnic. About 100 Young Britons of Montreal came up and took part. Much feeling was aroused in the Catholic section of the city, and the Montreal Britons had to walk three miles from, the city to take a train for home, in order to escape the violence of a mob of about 300 at the depot. When the city Britons returned from the junction, whither they had accompanied the Montreal party, they proceeded to the lower town and attacked a number of Catholic houses, firing their revolvers indiscriminately into every crowd they met. A number of people were wounded, and the police made many arrests. The Supreme Council of the Templars of Honor of America held its thirtysecond annual session at Janesville, Wis., last week. Evangelist Moody lias rented a house in Baltimore, and will take a season of rest and recuperation. The Attorney General of the United States has rendered a decision of vast importance to partners in patent rights, as well as to the public at large. It is to the effect that a patent issued in the names of several individuals, when in fact but one is the inventor, and the others only hold an interest by assignment, is absolutely void and cannot be rendered valid by any act of tbe parties or of the Patent Office. The inventor, it appears, may sell interests in his invention after it is patented. but not before. If two years elapse before the defect in such a patent is discovered and a correct application is filed, the invention becomes the property of the public. The New York Tribune devotes a long article to the Knights of Labor. It says this erder now numbers 800,000 members, who are bound solemnly by oath. It is so subtly secret that members are prohibited from mentioning it even outside the guarded doors of their assembly rooms. A dispatch from San Antonio, Tex., dated Aug. 19, says: “All of Mackenzie’s forces have crossed the Rio Grande and pro ceeded from Newtown, immediately on the Mexican border, toward the interior, without opposition as far as heard from. The object of this invasion is to capture thieves and recover stock stolen and crossed during the early part of this week by bandits, and of whom one Areola is chief.”