Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 March 1883 — SOUTHERN. [ARTICLE]

SOUTHERN.

Alexander H. Stephens died at Atlanta, Ga., on the 3d Inst Deceased was born in Georgia in 1810, graduated in Franklin College, and built up a lucrative law practice. He served six terms in the Georgia House and one term in the Senate, and then held a seat in Congress for sixteen years. He was a vigorous opponent of secession, but finally accepted the Vice Presidency of the Southern Confederacy. In 1865 he was one of the rebel Peace Commissioners who held a conference with President Lincoln and Secretary Seward After Lee’s surrender he was a prisoner at Fort Warren for five months In 1866 he was elected to the United States Senate, but was not given a seat From 1872 to 1882 he was again a member of Congress, resigning to accept the Governorship of Georgia. Tom Washington (colored) made an assault on a festival party at Ironton plantation, La., and killed two negroes The floods in the Lower Mississippi valley, while not as high as a year ago, have done great damage. The “sunk lands” on the St Francis river are submerged, and several lives are reported to have been lost The people are living in the upper stories of their houses or floating about in boats or rafts. At New Madrid there is not a house but is inundated, and the same troubles also exist at Arkansas City. Several persons are reported drowned in the vicinity of Helena, Ark. The steamer Yazoo struck anobstru-o tion near Bonnet Carre, La., and sunk. The steamer St John picked up sixteen persons, but sixteen others were drowned The new Judge of the Criminal Court at Nashville released M. T. Polk, the defaulting Treasurer, on $20,000 bail Walster Beany, of Baltimore, shipbuilder and iron-worker, has made an assignment His liabilities are $300,000. A telegram from Little Rock, Ark., of the Bth Inst, says: Last night the eastboundpassenger train on the Little Rook and Fort Smith railroad was boarded by forty men, two miles west of Mulberry Station, Crawford county, 140 m(les from Little Rock. They ordered the passengers to throw up their hands, and began firing pistols. Conductor John Cane was in the rear, and was fatally shot The robbers rushed for the engine, but before reaching it Engineer Rogers pulled out, And prevented a robbery. Brakeman Lester was also shot during the filing. The robbers jumped off after the train was ip motion. Superintendent Hart

man offers *5,000 reward for the capture of -the robbers. A horrible double crime occurred recently at the ranch of J. H. Landa, a wealthy stock raiser of Sill county, Texas. TomP. Vardell, son of a prominent stock man, whose general character is that of a “rone,” had recently been forcing his attentions upon the daughter of Landa, a young lady of rare personal attractions. During a ball given by Landa in honor of his daughter, Vardell was present, and induced the girl to take a walk from her house. When some distance away he drew a revolver, and, threatening to kill the girl, committed a brutal outrage upon her. Miss Landa raised an outcry, which drew the attention of the guests at the ball, and a party of men, led by the father of the girl, made pursuit of Vardell, who shot Landa through the heart and made his escape in the darkness. The Tend*, family offer a large reward for his apprehension, and the Governor has made a proclamation of his crime. Landa was a former resident of Wisconsin. Fire in Nashville, Tenn., destroyed property of the value of *250, 000, upon which there was *IOO.OOO insurance. • Ex-Gov. Sprague, of Canonchet fame, was married the other day in Staunton, Va. His first wife obtained her divorce last May. The funeral services over the late Gov. Stephens, at Atlanta, Ga, were participated in by thousands of people. Gen. Toombs and Senator Brown were among the speakers, and the closing prayer atthetxhnb was offered by Dr. Talmage.