Indiana State Sentinel, Volume 26, Number 35, Indianapolis, Marion County, 18 April 1877 — Page 6

TUE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL, TTEDNESDAY MOKNTNG, APKIL 18, 1877.

G

A TALE OF TERROR.

The Story of the Fire Which Consumed the Southern Hotel at St. Louis. Particulars nf the Appalling Calamity Which Fell Upon the Sleeping Guests.. Terrible Scenes After tha Dread Alarm Individual Accounts of the Awfal Disaster. Gleanings fromme Ruins The Latest Hews Regarding the Horror The List of the Lest and Losses. fTom pi led from St. Louis papers of yesterday. When the first Globe-Democrat reporter armed upon the scene, which waa within few moments after the sounding o' the first alarm. . '.1 that could be distinguished was a lurid light over the hotel which seemed to proceed from abot the ceuter of the building. Peopl were running to and fro upon the streets, and the fire carta were runibllnt; In from all directions, but apparently the occupants of the hotel were wrapped la fclumber. As yet, their terrible danger was on. unknown to them. But the flre wm makinac its way rapidly through the upper portloa f the immens building, creeping la all directions and filling the hallways with smoke. The no Ute from ihiwe in tbe streets aai Irons ' those who had made their way into the building to be of service in ease of peed, had the effect ol startling into a knowledge of the danger those on the lower floors, and many of them made their escape without incurring dancer of any sort, though several took the chances of severe cold by leaving behind them their clothing and appearing upon the street mm everything necessary in the way of ooverering. By this time the dense.black.suffocating smoke was oozing from under the cornice at the roof, on the Fourth, fifth and: Waluut street side, indicating the rapid progress of the destroying element. The smote la the halls together with the strong drat that had been engendered, extinguished the lights and left the upper part of the building in utter darcness. The occupants of the fourth, fifth and sixth floors had been awakened Generally, bv Home few rold spirits who had gone through the halls kicking In the doors and arousing the sleepers, at serious risk to themrelve. But sudden rear has a paralysing effect npon some, and when the danger was realized, not all were able to flee from it, and when sufficiently recovered to act.cgress by the ord nary route was cut off. Many did no' corarehend the situation until too late to escape y the hallways,and it id safe to say that scores were imprisoned by the flre in these three upper floors without means of escape save by the windows. How many of thce were taken ont by the firemen, and how many were left, perforce, to perish? The death list has not yet been reached, nor will it ever be complete. The scene which fo'lowed the discovery that the flre had cut off retreat by the hallways fairly beggars description. From the window of I he three upper floors came frantic crtes for succor from poor creatures already despairing of help. Tbe fire waa rapidly advancing upon those in the sixth story, and making it necessary for immediate action upon the part f those below if assistance was to be rendered. Several had presence of mind enough to tie their bed clothing together and liwer themselves o the floor below, and from therce to the story below that, thus succeeding in eaaplng. Others, frantic with fear, threw themfelvesfrro the windows and were dahed to Mece; while others still, in attempting to : wer ti emselves by haatily constructed ropes lost their holds, and falling to the pavemeuts were killed. The number thus far Known to have perished in this way Is 12. TBI ORIGIN OF THE FIÄE Is shrouded In mystery, further than that It began In what was known as the store room. This apartment was In the cellar, directly nuder the oflioe, about 80 feet from the Walnut street line, an 1 in it was stored a miscellaneous collection of supplies. A few minutes past 1 o'clock the fire annunciator la the office fave the alarm to the clerk on duty, Mr. Ü. W. 'rd, Jr. The annunciator is self-acting, and operates through atmospheric influences. Mr. Ford at onoe dispatched word to Mr.Shephrd.oneof the proprietors of the hotel, who hastily dressed nlmseif and made his way to the office. When he reached there the flames had spread from the store room V the elevator opening, and had mounted to the roof. The elevator opening was the trap thut destroyed the Hout hern, for up it the fl i-nes made a flue, through which they spread to all quarters in less time than la required to tell the story. Could the fire have been confined to the lower floors. It might readily have been extinguished. Taking in tbe situation at a glance, Mr. .Shepherd turnel on an alarm through the district telegraph box, in tbe of- , rice, at 1:23 o'clock, and seven minutes later ' the first alarm was given from the court house. Readily discerning that the condition of affairs was most critical, and that there was very prospect of general destruction, the valuable papers were placed In the safe and the loo!t turned upon them. With the register ander his arm. Mr. Hhepherd waited la the office until driven out by the progress of the flre. The flames, after making their way apward through the elevator opening, and spreading In all directions, began defending, burning out floor after floor, until the interior of the Immense structure, covering almost an entire square, waa a mass of smoking ruins, heaped In the cellar. The walls, with the exception of a section on Fourth street, the greater portion of the Elm street front, aud some of the Interior walls, remain standing. The Elm street wall, in falling, crushed in an adjacent restaurant and oyster depot, belonging to Mr. Tony raust, while a side wall in toppling over broke in the roof of the "Monkeys'' saloon on Fifth street. AT TUB MOKOU. When a terrified man or woman came to a window and stood for a few awful raomtuU before chootdng the one of two terrible modes f death, and hen the awful lep was made and the form lav upon the cold pitiless stones, quivering, bleeding, ready hands would raise the unfortunate to a stretcher and the grim march would be made to the morgue. Hix bodies were taken to the dead house. AGlobeDemocrat reporter went up there yesterday morning. The morgue is located at the southwest cornor of the Four Courts square. Five hundred people crowded about the door of the dead house. Nine-tenths of them were women. Home of then bail children at the breast. There were women in velvet bats, and women Willi shawls on their heads. KUk dresses Jostled oalico rags. Old women crowded misses of 14. Hmall boys ran about and throngh the crowd . A brawn policeman stood before the closed door, and kept the crowd at bay. The reporter started through the orowd; it was a struggle, and but for the assistance of a policeman would have been abandoned, as the women stood to their positions with a dogged determination ana resistance to diidodgment. From the steps the reporter looked down at the crowd. Their thousand eyes were glued, as If by some fascination, to the thick door guarded by the policeman. "They have been here all day." said he. "What do you all want?" asked he for the hundredth time. "We want to get In." "IT IS JWWf CUBIOfUTT," said he to the reporter. ''They know there are bu" six bodies In thre, and I nave read their names out a dosen times. But, no; they want to go in and see the bod lea themseives." Tbe reporter p'ssed In. "Where are the dead?" "lit there," said the superintendent, motion ing Wim nis nana to a sraau room to tne leit. The reporter went in alone. They lav noon the stone in the dimly lighted ceil in a ghastly low. The body of an old man lay neare -t the wall Tbe head was large, and the literal split in the skull, extending from the right eye dienen ally over the top of the head, showiug through the horrlTle rbrure the clotted aud corj?iii-d

brain, eouM not oonoeal Its remarkable development. The nose was crushed In, and the lip cut and swollen. Th.lelt arm was twlted, aud the ulnnot the r ghtann protruded from the flesh. The bare feet pointed straight upward. The lower limbs were clothed in black broiwlclo h. By the side of the form lay the tor n.dren coed an I oinder-spotted bod clothe, which had parted and betrayed the poor man Into a terrible death. One hand clutched with the death grasp one of the sheets. That was the body Of the I lev. A. K. Adams, the Knglt-uruan. Ik-side him lay the lamented George Frank Gouley, whoe crushed and bat-U-red form told the story of his fearful leap. Home gentlemen came in and tenderly raised the lorm to a stretcher 8"d carried it away. On the shirt front of one of them glitter . d a little golden compass and square. They were mtNons, and solemnly they bore away to an undertaker's establishment tbe remains f be who stood high In their order. One of the men told the reporter how Mr. Gouley and wile were awakened to a realization of their situation ; tow she put a wet lowet about her head and, going Into the hall, madtj htr way down stairs: how he lost her, and re-entered the room; how the flames cut him off", and how, when bis room was ablaze, be stood up boldly and made the leap into eternity. A female lorm waa next in the line. A cloth thrown over the face concealed it. The reporter turned It down. The face was young, and darkly lair. The large black eves, widn open, stared ghastly upwards. The long black hair, it was very long, streamed over the floor. The tongue Of the poor girl protruded from the mouth. The teetli were closed upon it, and it was fairly cut in half. The single night garment, carelessly twined up, showed a gash in the lower half of the left limb, that cut the flehh and severed the very bones. This was Kate Nolan, a poor Irish girl, who was a scrubber In the hotel. Hhe had leaped. In her frenzied fear, from a fourth floor window. Ileslde her lay Mary Moran. The face was old ; tne hair was short and dark, and the head quite small. Two terrible gashes in both of the lower limbs and the hideous distortion of the bust snoke eloquently of the m inner in which her life was crushed out by the concussion. THB LAST BODY was that of a tall, slender, dark-haired, darkeyed Irish boauly. The body was not badly cut, the injuries that caused her death having bteu Internal. A weeping sister, accompanied by several friends and relatives, came In to claim tbe body. The scene then was heartreuding in tbe extreme. The air wes flllei with lamentations. The sister threw herself by the side of the body and kissed the cold, handsome features attain and again. "-Oh ! my Uod," was all the grief stricken one could say. tenderly they ralst-d her from the sido of the dead, aad then they bore the body away. The reporter, sick at heart and glutted with horror, turned and left the tomb like structure and wee t oat into the sunshine and the fresh air. The hungry -eyed crowd still crowded and Joxtled each other, and sought admittance to tbe home of the deiul. . personal experiences. ' AW UTTBBVIBW WITH MI8rt CLAXTOW. A reporter of the Republican bad au Interview with Miss Kate Claxton last evening at her quarters at the Lin Jell hotel.sittlng in her room awaiting the call to the theater. The lady was suffering from great nervous depres siou, and said that she felt the reaction greater than the agony of snspense during the terrible scenes at the Southern the night previous. Bhe was evidently making a great effort to keep up, and with fortitude almost Spartan expressed her determination to appear last evening should Manager Hpalding conclude to open the Olympic theater. Miss Claxton s statement was in substance thai she was sitting with Miss Osborne and Mis McClellan lu the diiilng room of the (southern. This was about 12 o o ock, and she was admiring the calm, pleasant expression of Miss McOlellau'a face while they were waiting for their supper .to be brought to them. Hhe then retired her brother, who accompanies heron her tour, going to his room near by on the fourth floor. Hhe slept soundly about an hour, being wearied out with her exertions in the role of Louise, which are very trying, and being a constant strain upon her muscular, nervous and mental systems. Hhe was first awakened by a shout of "Flre, Fire." At first she old not comprehend It and turned over In bed, but it was supplemented by another shout, of whose dread purport there could be no mistake "Flre, Fire." Hhe was half dased, but getting up from her bed endeavored to light the gas. It burned but fitfully and the room was filled wUU vapor. There was a strange moisture on her face, and she comprehended the terrible situation at once; si.e rushed to her brother's room and called to him to awake as there was a fire in the hotel. In her room was her wardrobe, her Jewels and a large number of private papers; she returned for a moment but realizing the danger of the situation, staggered bavk, with nothing on but her nisht dress and a skirt which she had put on when she first got up. Hhe was barefooted, having neither shoes nor stockings on. Her to -Olli tr was Inlhe ball and amid the moke which was rolling in volum-s through the halls they grered their way along the staircase. For a moment they were dazed, hatural1 v going In the direction of the elevator which they had always used. After a time, however, they reached the staircase and with the anui of others, la 1hs and gentlemen, half clad and some almost naked, finally reached the sidewalk wore dead than alive.

SI iss Claxton saw some very heartrending scene, and passed one frantic woman who was inner night dress and who stonoed suddeuly, presa d her hands to her temples and exclaimed, "Ok. my Ood, I can uot leave my child," and went staggering back In the smoke and was not seen agein. ' Miss Claxtou was soon taken by her friends to comfortable quarers and was eared for as kindly possible. Hhe visited Ml-s Frankle Model lan and was much shocked at the ap-s-arsnoe oi mat uniortunaie laay, for whom .liss Claxton had formed a great attachment. The lady has lost everything: iewrlrv. ward robe, and what she valued most, a number of vainaoie papers, letters, etc., which she had preserved for a long time and whose loss Is a severe one. .The clothing she had on bad been loaned her by kind friends, and while the reporter was speaking witn her a maid entered with a m,l package which evidently contained some garments, and for which Miss Claxton returned her thanks. The lady has gained some unsought for no toriety In connection wl h two of the most terrible catastrophes which have happened in this country for a ong number of years. Her action during the Brooklyn flre stamped her as a gennine heroine. Mhe states that she preserves her calmness at such moments more than at any other, and never, In time of dansri, im, iiiu uniai.i iriituuuQ nicuuniiun to shriek or faint. On Christmas day last her first appearance arter the Brooklyn calamity she was at a Washington theater playing ber character of "Louise" in the "Two Orphans," and the cry of flre was raised in one of the crowded galleries. The reminiscence of the Brooklyn terror and its connection with the play aud the star, in addition to the highly emotional and touching character of the representation, had worked on the audience, and there was a momentary panic. Miss Claxton and her fellow artists soon quelled the disturbance and the nlay went on. The lady will fulfill her engagement here unless she breaks down utterly under the trial she has undergone. Hhe Is thankful for the preservation of her life, but has suffered greatly from the reaction following the excitement of the scenes sho has passed through. HKCKY HAZK2V. The saddest case of all was that of young Mr. Hajn, chief clerk In the auditor's office f the Missouri Pacific railway. The auditor of the road. Mr. C. L. Whit", has for some six weeks past been very sick, and Mr. Hazea was lu the habit of nursing him and sitting up with him in bis room, on the sixth floor ol the hotel. Af er the alarm of fire was given on yesterday morning, be was the first of tbe two to wake. I1m saw the flumes coming In. and at onoe woke up Mr. White. Tbe twain Immediately set to work to pick- up the bed clothes and make a line. Mr. White says he felt strangely weak at first so weak. In fact, that he had to put his foot on the sheet and pull with both bands in order to tighten a knot. When the rope of sheets had b-en made fast, Hazen said," White, yon 'd bettea go first: you are-lighter, and I'll follow you." Mr. White started and got down to the fifth floor successfully. (The room was on the Walnut street side.) Mr. Ilazen followed aud got down safely to the same floor. Here tbey slopped a few minutes to partially dress themselves, and then set to work to pick up more clothes and make longer line. Tae llae had been lengthened and llasen was descending by means of It, when between -the fifth and fourth floors the rope parted. There was the sharp sound of parting nnen ana a auu sonn a as iiazen struok the cornice and then fell to the pavement dead. At thetlmeof Mr. Ilasen'a fall Mr. White was sitting on the window sill in the fifth story. lie at once proceeded to gather up more clothes and make a better line, and so got down to the fourth, floor. Here he

called to the firemen below, and lowered his rope, to which they attached a hempen cord, which he pulled up find made fast, and so came down on terra Jlrma safely. RBXASKiBLR BMC A PC Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Einst mann and Mrs. Roott, the motht-r of the latter, occupied a room on the Fourth street front. They received the warning late, and all hope of escape ly tbe halls was vain. They rigged one of ttiope vain and delusive ropes ol' blankets. Mr. Kinstmann, In order to test the strength or the rope, started to ciimb down first. Hlo wiy but surely one of the flimsy blankets parted lis threads, and away down on the hard pavemoit he fell, with a sickening thud, while the vast crowd groaned in unison. Mr. Kin.tmaun never n-oved. Mrs.Hcott, au old lady, fetble and weak, did not see the horrible täte of her sou-in-ia-. She started down this ladder of death, and the poor rid lady fell to the pavement below, and lay mot ion lefes, with bones broken and blood oozing from a terrible cut acosstlie forehead, whicirdyid her sdvery hairs. Hhe was not kided, but last night she lay very pale and weak, in a bedroom in a residence at No. W)7 Catxipa street. The doctor said th t she could not live through t:e night. Down in the parlor the form of Andiew Einst maun lay, awaiting the burial of to-dxy. Mrs. Einstmaun alone survived. Hhe saw the fate of her husband and mother, and reo it lews, not caring whether he lived ordied,she loom d her hold of the window. Two stories below a man was climbing out of a window, intent upon saving his own life. The falling body of Mrs. Einsttuann struck him. Instinctively lie caught her. He held for an instant. It was enough. The force of her lall was checked aud she tell the one remaining story to the pavement beneath and was unharmed. "Oil, why did I not die, too?" moaned she la-t night, as she sat beside the body of her bu.sbt.nd, and rocked ber bodv backward and forward in the testacy of her grief. MARIAN CLIFTON AMD LKTTIB AI.LKN. Miss Lettle Allen, a distinguished actress who recently made her debut In "Crabbed Age," in New York, was In the hotel, the guest ef Marian 1. Clifton, a favorite actress belonging to the Olympic company. The room occui-led by the ladies was on the Fitth street side, fourth floor. Both of Lhem had sat in the room of a professional friend. Rose Oswold, until Ute In the evening, and. retiring late, were still awake, lying in bed conversing. The smell of smoke alarmed them and both got up and looked out into the hall. The smoke rolled Into their room lu dense volumes. They did not turn back for an instant, but fled, clothed alone In their night garb. "How we reached the strttt I do not know," said Miss Clifton. "There was a horrible period of terror and excitement: the smoke was stifling, and, clinging together, we staggered. Other people lurried along through tue hall. I could hear the roar of the flames; I gave up for lost, but at tho moment I felt the oool night, air I saw that I was In the street, and, turning to Lettle, cried: Thank Ood, we are saved.' " Tof ether the ladies, in their bare feet, and thus ightly clad, walked to the residence of Mr. W. W . Walters, at 6-7 Houth Hixth street, and from a window watch d the fire fiend complete Its work of destruction. Miss Allen lost her wardrobe, which was valuable, and In one of her trunk8wasthe new play ''Wares," recently written for her, and in which she intended to appear In New York during the preeent season. Miss Clifton loses everything Jewelry that was valuable, manuscripts that were prized, rich street dresses, and a theatrical wardrobe that was the accumula: ion of is years. This Is the fourth time that Miss CI If to u has gone through fire. Last night she played at the Olympic theater in the "Two Orphans." On Haturiiay night these ladies. In connection with Miss Kate Claxton, will be tendered a bent-fit at the Olympic, the proceeds of the performance to be devoted to their relief. U09 FRAHKIK M'CLSLLAlt. When Miss Frankle McClellan awoke in her room on the sixth floor of the southern exposure of Fifth street ell of the building, it was in the midst of stifling smoke that rolled through the transom and through the very cracks of tbe door. Thoughtlessly she opened the door, but fell to the floor as the smoke, made lurid bv the flames that tar down the hall crackled and danced. Hhe closed the door

and ran to the window. The streets were tilled with people who saw her. They snew that the whfte-robed figure was calling for help, but the cracking of the flames and the crah of falling walls drowned her agonlz'ng shrieks, hhe could not die. Hhe turned to the bedclothes, and with a dext rity and rapidity born of desperation eons' rueted a rope. Hhe moved her bed to the window, made fast the only chance of escape, and commttteo hernelf to it. Some men on the roof of "The Monkeys" saloon building below en- I coursged her. Hhe slid down to the end nf the rope. For a moment she hung between heaven and earth, Sho let go, and like a plumb fell downwards. Hhe turned In her course, and fell cruelly npon the graveled roof upon her side. The thud was sickening. She was picked up A terrible gash across the lair face; limbs a'l injured. Hhe was Inanimate. Strong men bore her to the residence of a kind friend, Clara Hunkett, at kv Walnut street. Yesterda Miss McClellan lay white and still upon a bed. Friends tiptoed in and out. Hhe talked to them, and stated fears that she bad sustained internal Injuries, and that she van snre one of her ribs was broken. Three d'xstors sat In the room. looking "olemn and grave. "Is she hurt bad, doctor?" "Her nonunion is critical." "Will she die?" 44 We can not tell until to-morrow." MRS. STKWABT'HTBRRIBLB DEATH. A Republican reporter called, last evening. on Mr. WillH. Htewart (of the firm of Derby ik Day), who lost his wife by the terrible catastrophe which has enveloped our city in a pall of mourning and misery. He was found at the residence of Mr. F. 0. Day, on Locust street, and ou of his anguish was kind enough t weave a statement oi circumstances wnic-n E receded and accompanied the climax to im and his of the unutterable horror. We resent it as nearly as may be in his own anguage: We occupied room 375, on the fifth floor of the hotel, lacing on Fifth street. About half past 1 o clock my wite aw"ke me wun tne remark that there were loud voices on the street, and we got out of oed to ascertain .the cause. We saw smoke and the lurid glare in the sky, and my wife, wlüi a fearful presentiment of danger, exclaimed, "My tiodl the hotel is on flre. and we must die." I Imme diately opened the door leading Into the hall and found it filled with smoke. In tbe hope of reaching tbe stairs and getting below the smoke, which waa suffocating, we tried to find our way on our knees. It was Impossible. After a few steps mr wife fell on her face, overcome, and I had literally to drag her back Into the room as best I could. The window was opened top and bottom, and so permitted the smoke to pass out. I then suggested that we should dress ourselves, hoping and expecting that rescue would ireseiit itseii in some snspe from the ouu-ide. The heat in the ball meanwhile broke the glass In the transom, admittine a large volume ol smoke. Mrs. Htewart became suddenly wild, I may say frantic. Hope seemed dead within her. The street below was choked with people who oould see us plainly by the light in the room, bat from the sea of upturned faces there came no suggestion of escape. I made a rope of bedciothlng three pairs of blankets, two sheets and a coun erpane and spliced them together in knots which 1 deemed secure. It was of sufficient length to reach the ground, and, as my wife sat ou the wlnd-vw-Blll, 1 tied one end oi mis rope to ner waist, fastening the other end to the center piece of the window sasb. How did I feel? Ood knows how. I believed I was letting her down to life and to stay there and die. The smoke by this time was down as low as our beads, and I proceeded in the effort to low r her to the side walk. Her last words to me were, "let me down.' I cried, "Good bye, my dear, forever," for I never expected to see her alive again. I believed sne wouia ce savea by the means I had contrived, but I expected to be suffooated. I had not lowered her more than six or eight feet when she fell from rmt cause almost incomprehensible to me. I sat down stunned, to wait for death or untU some relief might come. I heard shouts from the other side of the street. I went to the window. People were calling to me to pull up the rope of bed oloihen which 1 had thrown out when my pjor wife fell almost out of my arms, as it were. I did so and found a rope attached. I put on a glove to-prevent friction, threw my wife's diamonds with 15,0110 and Jowel y Into the middle of the bed, got out of the window, adjusted my legs sailor fashion sround tbe rope and slid down in safety to the sidewalk. About half an äour elapsed between my wile's falling from tbe rope and nay. reaching the ground. I found that she had been taken to the et. James, and from there she was removed to Mrs. Davis's b ardlng house on Wal nut street, where she died lu about three hours and a half, bhe was conscious only for a moment to know me. and that about an hour beton her death. Bhe showed no signs

of broken limbs, although flie fell full GO feet. Hhe died from the honor of the shock and In ternal injuries. MR. GILBERT. The escape of Mr. Gilbert, the baby showman, was very similar In character to that of his friend Mr. Miles, who did not succeed in awakening him. Mr. Gl bert, whose room was on the fourth fleor, swoke nearly suffocated with rraoke alter most of those In the vicinity of his room had escaped. He thought the fire something easily suppressed, and, alter raising tbe window to admit fresh air, retired again. The increasing smoke soon compelled him to rise again, when he hurried out into t ho hall but partly dressed. Tie-re he found all quiet save that one woman was shrieking at the other end of the hall. He cal'ed to her, "Come this way," but she did not respond, and he could not And her. Hubstquenily he found his way down the staircase and reached a place of safety. The money and valuables of Mr. Gilbert were all in his trunk and all lot. Tho stoiyof his misfortune became known amon the mothers exhibiting babies at Mercantile Library hallend In consequence deciined to reoeive the money prizes, taking ribbon prizes Instead.

BITSIXEM TROUBLES. A Millionaire Sued for 600 lie Blake an xplnatlon. In the year 1872 Mr. John 8. Eldridge, a citizen of the United States, was a resident of London. He was a gentleman of leisure, frequenting the clubs and fashionable society, and represented himself to be a man of wealth. Through Mr. Scott Siddons, the husband of the well known actress, Mr. Eldridge became acquainted with "Walter Yebling, of the firm of Metcalf&Co., Jewelers, of 19 Cock8pur street, Wes Etnd. and opened an account with that house. He bought largely of jewelry and articles of luxury, a great deal of which was made on his order, and among the purchases were two lockets, 10 guineas each, which he presented to Mr. Scotl-Siddons for bis wife, and a large quantity of satin note paper, embellished with his monogram. When Eldridge left London among his unsettled bills was that of Metcalf & Co., and after making repeated demands for the amount due them, they received the following letter, written on one of their sheets of satin paper: RkaDSVILLK, Mass., November 10, 1875. Messrs. Metcalf A Co., London : - Okntlimen-I must ask your pardon for my long silence, but since my retain to America the wheel of fortune has tamed rather severely against me. I have by an accident ost my right arm, fram which I am still a great sufferer. The Boston fire and the panic of 1873 caused the stagnation of all business, and the suspension of many firms Indebted to me for rents, from which I had a constant source a f revenue, have either caused them to throw up their leases or sue for reductions of 7. per cent. I hold In rry safe to-day over 300 ,lOi, or nearly 11,700,000. of paper which has been protested, and the firms who gave it are asking for an extension, which I was cornrelied to accede to. Thus you may be able to form some idea of the annoyances I have been put to since ray return. Of the above, all is good but it will take time to work it out. I will do everything to hasten an early settlement with your firm, and assure yon that principal and Interest will be the rewaid of your patience. Mr. Webling, who ia now the proprietor of the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, 43 8trand, London, not caring to wait for wonder working time, began an ction against Eldridge for the recovery of $618.23 gold, and the suit was tried yesterday before Judge Alker, in the marine court. The defendant, who is in California, did not put in any testimony, his counsel relying on technical objections. Tbe jury found a verdict for the plaintiff in the full ameant claimed. One of a Million. I Hough ton (Mich.) Mining Gazette. Some five years since Harry Odgers, a miner from Trnro, Cornwall, England, ar rived in this locality. Before leaving home he loved a certain lass, tho only daughter of an inn keeper, to whom he proposed mar riage, but waa rejected. J wo years ago Harry, who was employed at the Delaware mine, met with an accident by which he lost his eyesight. The news of his terrible misfortune didn't nach the ears of his Truro sweetheart until quite recently. She thought of the man who once told her he loved her and her woman's heart softened. Sha wrote to a friend in Keweenaw county, and In time got a history of his condition and the sad plight he was in on the distant shore of Lake Superior. The other evening a quiet little woman arrived on the stage from L'Anse, and before many hours she was at the house where the blind and maimed miner was stoppt n sr. She came to take Harry back to Eugland, without any fuss or noise, and if he ll allow her, she intends to care for him as his wife the balance of his days. Monday's stage took Harry and his old sweetheart on their return to Cornwall. She decon't want to be married until she gets home. If there ia one seat better than another in heaven, wo know a little woman who will be entitled to it when she leaves this world. A HAD STOUT. Mrs. Porter, Po- t mistress ef Lonlsvllle, raiy. The Cincinnati Enquirer haa the follow One of the saddest stones I ever heard is . . . . . connected with the scramble for Mrs. Por ter s place. Borne months apo an unknown individual presented himself at Mrs. Por ters residence, and, in a mysterious way, demanded a private interview. She being In very delicate health ana becoming very much frightened at the man's manner acceded to his demand. ' This man, who claimed to be a reporter, told a cock and bull story that she was chareed with various irregularities, such as seeking offices through her influence with Grant There was no truth in the charges but they so effected her sensitive nature that her reason gave away, and at times Bhe is a raving maniac, and she is at this time in a private hospital tor the insane in Cincinnati. It is hinted that the mysterious individual and his pretended charges were a part of the plan to oust her. "OLD SI. NeFallnln Bine Glass. Old Si and one of his chums met at James's bank corner yesterday morning. "Whar is you bin dis mornin', Peter?' "I'se bin up dar at Marse Williuni's house puttin' in some blue glass in de winders ob de flow'r konservatifl" "Blue glass? Whar for dey puttm dat kine ob glass in dere, 'stid ob de or'nary glass?" "I danno, sho', but dere's some kine ob sience in bit, fer I hesh Marse Willium say in' dat some man bex 'stiver d dat Mue glass kyores d'xease. fattens bogs, meks de crook ed strate, an' de vegitiblts an flow'rs ter grow three times ez far and lo timej as fine!" ' : "Aw, go 'way, nigger; wha' kine ob licker did Marse William gib yoa dis mornin' for da Job?" "Hit's de trufe, 'cordin' to Marse William. He say dat blue glass is got mo' raisin' pow'r dan all de gnwanner and soupenoslates in de country." "Well, now, you'ie Stewart in da cha'cb, ain't yerr "Yas, sir.'! "Well, now, yoa ; jes git er blue glass sa'sser nex' Sanday an' see de 'feckt ob hit when yer go ter raise de collecshun f dat succeed I'se arwine ter h'leeb ia de aieuco ob blue glass, bat not befo'l"

THE COLOR LINE.

Aa Attack On a Georgia Pest Office A Negro Conspiracy AgalnM Whites. An Atlanta special to tbe New York Herald says: A party of men from Crawford, Oglethorpe county, have been scouring Atlanta for the past two days in search of Luke Johnson, the negro fanatic who incited the bloody riot in that village last week. They succeeded in capturing him last night, together with three of his confederates. ATTACK OS THE POST OmCK. He says that his attempt to get possession of the post office was occasioned by the fact that Mr. Pace, the postmaster, in' reading the names of appointees to post offices in the south, read the name of Luke Johnson, for Crawford. Upon inquiry he was informed that his name had been read out simply as a joke. He declined to believe this, however, thinking the white men were trying to cheat him oat of his rights, and he made a formal demand for the office. This being refused, he then persuaded his secret society to assist him in taking it by force. He denied that they bad determined to make the assault, but were merely discussing it when the marshal's posse interrupted them. He says that his men fired upon the posse after the' house had been fired npon. lie reports that one negro was. wounded, a fact not heretofore known. CANOxsocs eriBiT or the blacks. Later developments show that the spirit of this negro club was even worse than was suspected at first. It has been nursed up to frantic fury, and there is little room to doubt that terrible consequences would have grown ont of it had not the matter been checked by the unexpected attack of the club on the marshal's posse. The ring leaders are all safely jailed and will be tried regularly and tbe facts elicited. Inquiry of post office officials shows that Johnson had not received the appointment of postmaster. PRINTING. Its Origin and Originator. IBaltlmore Sun.l William Caxton, an English merchant, born in Kent about 1412, was the first to introduce printing into England. He translated from the French a "History of Troy," which he printed probably in 1471, but perhaps earlier. This is said to be the first book ever printed in the English language. Previously to th's time (in 1464) he had been employed to negotiate a treaty of commerce Detween Edward IV., of England, and the duke of Burgnndy. After he had resided for some time at the court of the dutches of Burgundy he removed to England and established a printing office in Westminster in 1476, where he printed several other books. The exact period of the commencement of his labors has been, however, a matter of controversy. It is claimed that the first book printed with a date in England appeared in 1477. A meeting was lately held in London, embracing distinguished noblemen, divines, philosophers, printers and type founders, for tbe purpose of perfecting measures for the apEropriate celebration of the fact that four undred years ago William Caxton set up his rude printing press in the Almony of Westminster Abbey. The exact date is not perhaps important. There are mysteries connected with the early history of printing in England which we can not pretend to solve. For example, there is a copy of the Old and New Testaments in the possession of a Virginia family which bears a date only three years later than the discovery of America by Columbus, and which is mach older than is assigned to any translation of the whole Bible In England by any authority we have seen. The notes and commentaries on this book are from a Protestant source, and a learned historian and an able theologian, who have examined the book. do not know what to make of tbe date. In one respect this translation seems more definite than oar present English translation, as, for example, where it renders tbe phrase of repentance as employed by John' the Baplist, "amendment oi me. mis lssimpiy an illustration ot tne aouot aoout dates which may reasonably exist as to the first books printed in England. There can be no dispute, however, that of the numerous persons who have been use fully identited with the typographical art, no one has ever deserved more renown than Will am Caxton. As is well known, printing with moveable types was tbe invention of Guttenberg, about 1436. Books printed before this time were all of the class called block books, printed from engraved plates of wood or metal. Guttenberg and bis associates had a printing press, with other essential apparatus for practicing the new art, as early as 1438, but it is not known that any books were printed until after the forma tion of his partnership with Faust and ßchaffer at Mentz, Germany, in 1450. Faust was a rich goldsmith of Mentz, who 6hares with Guttenberg and bchaner, his son-in-law, the honor of establishing the art of printing. He was Guttenberg's partner in the new business of printing books, though It is thought that Faust did nothing but furnish capital. BchafJer was the inventor of the punch used by type founders. They carried on the business successfully until 1462. when, at the sack of Mentz, the workmen were scattered and the art of printing wa? no longer a secret The art must have spread slowly, as Will be seen by the fact that twenty years mast have elapsed from the time printing was established at Mentx before William Caxton commenced tbe publication of books in England. Still it must be remembered that at that time the number of readers in England was lamentably small, and confined mainly to the members of the learned professions and of noble families. England held a much lower rank in the scale of general intelligence than Holland, many parts of Germany, Italy, iTance or enain. It wis estimated, even three centuries later, that England aid not contain more than 80,000 persons who were in the habit of reading for entertainment and instruction. Caxton had not only great difficulties to contend with in the ignorance of his times, but in mechanical aid. He had to be his own author or editor, as well as his own type-founder, printer and book-teller. In all these labors he displayed a marked de gree of skill and energy. He brought to his work a combination oi commercial, mechanical and literary talents such as is rarely devoted by a single person to any pursuit He performed his novel labors not as a fitful aneculailon. buk s a life-lone task. His memory deserves the honor which Eng lishmen propose in the celebration oi ist t. and Americans might appropriately unite in that celebration. The celebration is to take the form of the organizatkn of a loan collection of the works of Caxton, and all other antisuities and accessories of printing. and the exhibition is to include appliances of the art of enzravine. letter foundinc electrotvpinr. stereotyping. lithography, photography and paper making. One of the speakers at the meeting in London was the Karl Stanhope, a great-grandson of the no bleman who invented the first iron printing Dress, nearly 100 years ago. The glory of the art of printing belongs peculiarly to modern civilization. None of the ancients, with all their greatness in

other arts, produced any resemblance to this, the greatest of all arts, the universal medium of commnnicativn between mind and mind, and without which not only could no other art be preserved, but ths very memory of them would perish. AbdI Kader st Home. Damascus Letter to Han Francisco Chronicle. Abd el Kader is 74 rears of age. His is a very serious face. Iiis beard, dyed raven black, is worn in tbe fashion, pointed and rather long. His hands are well formed, his nails elegantly cut and stained with henna. His bare feet were thrust into the loose yellow overshoe, such as are put off at mosqus doors. He wore a lemon colored sack with the usual brown stripe, a loo?e blue outer robe lined with light blue silk (there was an Inner sleeve of purple); his scarlet tarboosh was encircled itba large white turban embroidered with threads of pure gold. The visit was evidently a bore to him, yet he endured it bravely. He played with a soft white handkerchief embroidered in colors, drawing it through his fingers as if it were a string of beads, blew his nose and spat into it, cracked his knuckle -, and sat most of the time bowed over on his knees. Orange water thickened with snow was offered as on our arrival, and a small cup of coffee served at parting, but he apologised for the non-appearance of the customary pipe, as Jt chanced to be a day of abstinence. He now gives his whole time to literature, and ia deeply interested in Arabian poetry; says that the chief modern poets in that tongue dwell in Damascus, His eyes, which are inexpressibly sad, brightened as he touchpd upon this theme, but he soon relapsed into a mood the image of hopeless dejection. His feeble smile betrayed the absence of two or three of the npper teeth. All the fangs are gone, and tbe life of him who was a terror wherever his name was known has gone with them. The splendid old rain lives in his tattered and tarnished pavillion in the raradiM nf ttm nH.nt mil

and dreams away his life among the choicest poets oi nis urae. wfien nu tHirty-day fast COmP On Ym nHvita Hi msual f in a vnAvn ma small he can not even lie down in it, feeds . a . . ' sparingly upon bread. leeks, and olives, and sees no one durine all the fat nnt TMnt. ing his wife. Why lie Shot Ills rather. This is the story of. the IS year old boy, Isaac N. Cox, who shot and killed his father. Deacon Alfred Cox, at Bowdoin, Maine, last Friday night: "Father and I left the house to go to church at about 7 o'clock; we entered the meeting house together; I stood by the stove, which is near the door; he said to me, Go forward;' I did not; I went out and he followed me into the entry, when he gave my ears a severe boxing; he then took hold of my coat collar, but he had a very sore hand, owing to a cat he had just received while at work at home. I slipped out of the coat, and, leaving It with him, ran home; I got the gun intending to scare him; I took the gan and went into the field and saw father coming up a rise; I held the gun by my hip, and pointed it as I supposed so it would hit the ground before it would reach father; father paid, I am shot,' and staggered forward a step or two and squat down in a sitting posture; I ran up to him and he told me to get him into the house; I tried to get him up but I could not; Mr. Cox was a heavy man; I shouted for mother and ehe came running out, and seeing what I had done, told me to go and get Charles Maxwell,as he was the nearest neighbor; he cameright down and father breathed twice after hegot there; we got him into tbe house and that is all." When the boy shot his gun he was not more than ten or fifteen feet away from his father. They do not seem to have been in the habit of getting on well together. On a former occasion the father threatened to horsewhip the boy, and the latter replied mat li ne aid ne wouia snoot mm. Celeatlal t'euainshlp. The Ban Francisco Bulletin of March 23 has the following on Chinese cousins and their obligations: "In the course of tbe evi dence of a Chinese interpreter in the Ah Moon murder trial to-day, the witness waa asked what was the application of the term 'cousin,' as used by tbe Chinese, or, in other words, what was the relationship existing between Chinese calling each other cousin. lie replied that all Chinese having the same surname were cousins under the social laws of China; that it made no difference from what stats or part of China they hailed from, they called each other cousins, and that this applied to the Chinese all over the world. The witness was then asked the question: :If these cousins did not consider it not only their privilege, but their duty, to sustain each other, right or wrongf He answered that they did. 'suppose, said the counsel, 'a member of the cousin family by the name of Wing was killed by a member of a cousin family named Sang, would not all tbe members of the Wing family be obliged to pursue the Sang family until they obtained revenge on one or the other of the members? 'Yes, sir,' replied the witness." COUNTERFEITING. ffpwrlons If stes and Coin in Abundance, A Washington special to the New York Times says: A counterfeit legal tender note of the denomination of $1.000 is oat The counterfeit is on the issue of 1862, letter B, and is bo well executed that experts only can detect it One of these counterfeits was received on Saturday in the regular coarse of basiness at the redemption bureau from a national bank at Hpnngneld. Illinois. It was detected by treasury officials and returned to the bank branded "couuterfeit" A well executed counterfeit $500 national bank note is also oat Large quantities of silver half dollars are being manufactured and put in circulation. The secret service officers of the treasury department have now on hand about a half bushel of these counterfeit pieces, which thev have recently captured. Those officers have received information of the appearance of counterfeit $5 gold pieces, which are be ing circulated on the frontier on the routes leading to the Black Hills country. Parents and Preareay. Cincinnati Enquirer. The present administration is the offspring of J. Madison Wells and Klixa Pinkston, out the nnfilial administration does not seem to realize the fact Very poignantly Madison and Elisa ara mads to feel how sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child. Bat no doubt that cotton claim will be satisfactorily adjusted soon, and Mr. Wells will retire to slow music araid the plaudits ' of the republican party. : But. Jas, for Eliza Pinkstonl She can ran with the boys pretty well but she can't vote. There Is but one opening for immortality for her, but one way in which she can keep before ths eyes of the world. That ia to have her instantaneously solidified by some sharp chemist and planted uton the roof of the white house as the guardian angel of its occupant and a counterpoise to the goddess of liberty so the capitoL Senator Patterson rabs his gray hair over his eyes and wonders why he girt himself away to Hampton.