Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1886 — Page 7

WAR ANNALS.

Old Soldiers of Both Armies Fighting Their Battles Over Again. ; '/ - ' r —~‘ Aneedotes of the Bettie-field, the Weary March, and the Cheerful Camp-fire. G. A. R. The following account of the organization, taken from the Chicago Inter Ocean, will be interesting to many: The order of the Grand Army of the Republic was organized in the State of Illinois early in the year 1866. To Dr. B. EStephenson, of Springfield, 111., belongs the hopor of suggesting the formation of this union of veteran soldiers, and of launching the organization into existence. The object of the combination was to afford assistance to disabled and unemployed soldiers. Dr. Stephenson had been a surgeon in a volunteer regiment during the war, and was firmly convinced that an organization of the returned'volunteers, for mutual benefit, was imperatively'needed. A ritual was drafted under his supervision, and the first post of the new order was formed at Decatur, 111. Other posts were soon mustered throughout Illinois and contiguous States, and the first department (State) convention was held at Springfield, 111., July 12 fc 1866. General John M. Palmer was there elected Department Commander. October 31, 1866, Dr. Stephen.son, As Provisional Commander-in-chief, sent out an order to all the posts then formed, calling for the first national convention of the Grand Army of the Republic. This was held in Indianapolis, Ind., on November 20 following, and representatives were present from the States of Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, lowa, Kentucky, Indiana, and the District of Columbia. General S. A. Hurlbut was elected Commander-in-chief. During the year 1867 the order spread rapidly. The various States completed their work of department organization, and posts were formed in all the large towns and in many counties. The second national encampment, meeting at Philadelphia, Pa., Jan. 15, 1868, found the order in a most promising condition. In 1868 the first observance of May 30 as Memorial Day, by the Grand Army, was ordered. May 11, 1870, this date was fixed upon for annual observance by an article adopted as a part of the rules and regulations of the order. Unfortunately, during the warmly contested political campaign of 1868, the idea that the army was intended as a political organization gained currency, with the result of injuring the order greatly. A heavy decrease of membership followed, causing almost a total disruption of the order in the West. In May, 1869, a change in the ritual was made, providing for three grades of membership, but this met with little favor,* and in 1871 all sections providing for degrees of ranks among members were stricken from the rules of the order. At the same time a rule was adopted prohibiting the use of the organization for any partisan' purpose whatever, a principle which has ever since been strictly adhered to. Following is the record of the national encampments of the Grand Army of the Republic held thus far, with the names ’of the Commanders-in-Chief ■ - ► •" 1. Indianapolis, Ind., Nov 3, 1866; S. A. Hurlbut, Illinois. 2. Philadelphia, Pa., Jan. 15,1868; John A. Logan, Illinois. - 3. Cincinnati, Ohio, May 12, 1869; John A. Logan, Illinois. 4. Washington, May 11, 1870; John A. Logan, Illinois. 5. Boston, Mass., May 10, 1871; A. E. Burnside, Rhode Island. 6. Cleveland, Ohio, May 8, 1872; A. E. Burnside, Rhode Island. 7. N§w Haven, Conn., .May 14, 1873; Charles Devens, JnfeMassachusetts. 8. Harrisburg, Pa., May 13,1874; Charles Devens, Jr., Massachusetts. 9. Chicago, 111., May 12, 1875; John F. Hartranft, Pennsylvania, 10. Philadelphia, Pa., June 30, 1876; John F. Hartranft, Pennsylvania. 11. Providence, R. 1., June 26, 1877; John C. Robinson, New York. 12. Springfield, Mass., June 4, 1878; John C. Robinson, New York. 13. Albany, N. Y., June 17, 1879; William Earnshaw, Ohio. 14. Dayton, Ohio, June 8, 1880; Louis Wagner, Pennsylvania. 15. Indianapolis, Ind., June 15, 1881; George S. Merrill, Massachusetts. 16. Baltimore, Md., June 21,1882; Paul Van Der Voort, Nebraska. 17. Denver, Col., July 25, 1883; Robert B. Beatte, Pennsylvania. 18. Minneapolis, Minn., July 23, 1884; John S. Kountz, Ohio. 19. Portland, Me., June 24, 1885; S. S. Burdett, Washington. There were in the Grand Army of the Republic, March 13, 1885, 5,026 posts and 269,694 members in good standing. Grant and Shiloh. I don’t know any two names that will catch the eye quicker than the above, and, perhaps, there are few headings that would as certainly secure my article a reading. I have in mind to write of some wonderful escapes I have read about, and thought I would write “what I know about” some others. I knew at the time of the battle of Shiloh of sei era! soldiers who had balls glanced off them by memorandum books, etc., in their pockets, but at this date I can name but one case, that of Curtis J. JdneS, Company I, Fourtebnth Illinois Infantry, who was struck on the belt plate, and thought for a while that-he was “kilt entirely.” It was as close a cull as he wanted, and so he did not refuse the next chance to take Command of six mules, and neither would I had 1 been as good a teamster ns he. But like thousands of others who did good service, he has never expected to receive even so small a notice as this. But this record would be incomplete without mention of his two brothers< and old Father J ess e J. Jones, all in the sendee. Benjamin F was one of those who, failing to get into an Illinois regiment, joined the Second Missouri Cavalry, and served out his term. But now, my trusty pen, it is hairbreadth escapes we are after, and we have one to narrate that will tax your rarest powers, and if you were in the hands of a Philadelphia lawyer perhaps you might make up Vour case. It happened in this wise; On the bright and charming Sunday morning of April 6, 1862, when the reveille aroused us, from our unbroken slumber, there was nothing to indicate the murderous slaughter that was so soon to begin. We of Hurlburt’s division were camped in reserve, perhaps two miles from the scene of the first attack-- We _were cleaning and nibbing up for our usual Sunday inspection, when the rattle of musketry was heard in the distance, and soon, like a rushing tornado, the fearful roar extended for miles along -our line. To describe the emotions one feels in such an hour is beyond my ability. The long and ominous roll of the drums, the clarion voioes of Colonel Hall and Lieutenant Colonel Camm, with the order,

“Fall in, Fourteenth Regiment!” might cause a thrill in a heart of stone. I had just been placed on guard over the comyissary'istores. What should I do? I dare not leave imy'post, but how could I stand there and see the boys march off to flory and leave me idling. “Colonel, may go?” was answered, '‘Stay where you are;” and an appeal to several of the boys to change places with me was equally a failure. But in an h6ur I was “relieved” in a manner I hadn’t looked for. First, a dozen or more of the boys, with bleeding wounds and shattered limbs, came back to camp. ‘ And what was more shocking to me was a dozen more, who had no good cause for their return to camp, and then came Colonel Camm. “Fall in, boys! we’ll give ’em all we’ve got;" and there were few who copld withstand the order of Colonel Camm. Alid here was my opportunity, although I had missed the “hornet’s nest,” and the whirlpool of death, all around me; and to this day I can not dispel the feeling that if I had been there I would be there yet; and herein was my narrow escape, for the first onset of that fearful contest was the most horrible experience of my life. r Our line had in the meantime sustained the Shock again, had retired and reformed, and when we fell in with it the regiment sedmed but a company. Bnt we had enough to do keeping the enemy in check, retiring slowly, until just before night, when we had formed the solidest line of the day. There was a furious dash upon our left, which was easily repulsed witn the aid of the gunboats and heavy artillery, and then we laid down in line to rest till the morning. A good rain during the night did not add to our comfort, but it was a godsend to our wounded comrades. Little cared we for what should come next, and never was sleep more refreshing, although we awoke to find ourselves besmeared with mud. A printed list of names of the little band that thus slept in line is one of the few relics that remain to us of that eventful day.— J. W. Covington, in Chicago Ledger. Capturing a Mule. During Sherman’s march to the sea we all got marching enough. We got very tired of the everlasting up one hillside, down another, and crossing narrow valleys, or mayhap following some stream for a day or more. It seemed as if the world was growing larger in that part, and we were following the largest part. At Cowpens I became possessed of what is called a war-halter —a simple affair, made of rope. Soon after three of us set out to see what we could “find.” We found a plantation, but that was not movable property; but in a pen stood a nice, hon-est-looking mule. Now my halter comes in use. I began to skirmish with that mule. He surrendered so soon that I supposed I had found a prize, and determined to ride into camp. No trudging on foot hereafter—l owned a mule. With a little aid from my comrades I mounted, taking with me my knapsack, haversack, canteen, cartridge-box, and sixty rounds, and slinging my musket over my shoulder was ready to march. Muley was not ready. He seldom is ready. I was not much surprised, having seen mules before; I proceeded to administer boot-heels as spurs, when, it seemed to me, there was an explosion of mule. I went heavenward, likewise gun, canteen, knapsack, haversack, and cartridge box. I never knew how far I went up nor how much time I was up. I know I went up and that I came back down to earth the shortest way. I did not “light” on the mule. I did not again mount the mule. Upon reflection I concluded that I did not want to make either that upward or downward journey again. Indeed, I may as well confess that my desire to ride that mule had departed. I looked upon marching in Sherman’s army as a healthy exercise. That mule stood there like “the boy on the burning deck." He looked sleepy, innocent, happy, unimaginative, kindly, honest, friendly, as if he didn’t mean it and wouldn’t again. I quoted Patrick Henry at him: “Trust it not, sir! Suffer not yourself to be betrayed by a kiss.” Just then that mule sounded the surgeon’s call —did. you ever hear it? It sounded like the song of a fog horn. I waited not for the surgeon, but started after my regiment. In due time my comrades followed, working that mule into camp. One was ahead pulling at the halter; the other persuaded from the rear. They earned all he brought them from the Quartermaster.—l Fm. Trott, in Chicago Ledger. • Taken Prisoner. The stories of war cannot all be of victory or of lucky escapes. There are many and various sorts of successes and a corresponding many failures. I write you of an occasion which has to rank amoug the events which had been ordered differently had we been able to see the result from the beginning. We were in South Carolina, on a river with a big name, waiting for the pontoons to be laid, and a mile of swamp to be corduroyed so we could move our guns. For two or three days we had been lying thus, and handy, near-by forage was getting scarce. In consequence a detail was made from the first division of one hundred men, and we were mounted on such pack mules and old horses as we could find, and set out in high glee, happy as boys “out of school” at the chance of a ride. Ten miles were got over ere we found ’ supplies—flour, meal and hams. We were appropriating these, getting dinner and generally hurrying things, when our pickets were driven in by a brigade of Confederate cavalry. We were in no good shape to fight them, hence undertook running. We soon found the ford in their hands, and that our only chance lay in swimming the river, each on his own hook. It did seem as if my mule would never get there —he was too slow, in spite of all I could Jo. A Johnny was after me individually. He had emptied his revolver when I lit off the mule, leaped the fence and made for the stream, In I went and to the bottom—found it deep, and there left my gun. When I got up to daylight again there was my red-headed, one-eyed Johnny pointing his musket at me, and ordering me in out of the wet. I answered affirmatively—providing I could. How I wished just then that he was blind in both eyes. I surrendered in the river. As soon as I was out my money and watch were confiscated, and then we swapped clothing, his trade not mine. He took my hat for his. minus rim and running up,,to. a peak, and my other clothing and shoes, giving me a pair an inch too short, from which I cut away the fronts, so that my toes could have room outside. I was no dude when rigged in his garments. During this time two of our boys had drowned, and one had got away and gone to camp. The remgihmgtniniyrseven jwerc prisoners. and were shipped to Libby Prison as soon as convenient. There is neither fun, romance, nor glory in being tt ken prisoner. Wm. Shepherd. Chaplain's Rooster. One day while in pursuit of a lot of bushwhackers in Southern Missouri we chanced to march by a farm house near the road, and bn the fence stood a large specimen of the Dominique variety of rooster. He was ‘- •_ - —--Jt . ———Trjr--1— •

just in the act of flapping his wings and - crowing, when a leng, lean, hnngryMooking private from on Illinois regiment stepped forth and exclaimed,, “I say, b-boys, I’ll bet that rooster is rank s-secesh! ” and raising his shooting iron he cut off the tall rooster in tho midst of its “' hoop-te-do-do-o 1” Chaplain C who chanced to be riding past, tqrned toward him in holy horror. “Who shot that chickenhe howled--I*l uh-shot it,” returned the Illinois man. "You did, eh? Didn’t you know, sir, that you did very wrong? Very wrong, indeed. ~i hope, sir, that you will never be guilty of another such act. Such work should be stopped at once. So, then, my man, you thought you would forage a little, did you?” “N-no, sir," stuttered the culprit, ‘1 was jjust a kick-kick-cuttin’ off the sup-pl-iesof Old Mum-Marmaduke down here!” The boys all laughed, and the man who stuttered was just beginning to congratulate himself on his escape, when up rode Capt. P ,of his own company. Taking in the situation at a glance, he exclaimed, with assumed fierceness, but with a wink at some of the boys behind the Chaplain’s back: “Hey, there! Been foraging, eh? Look here, sir; don’t you know you have no right to that rooster? Don’t you know that ministers of the gospel, have an undisputed claim on all yellow-legged chickens? There, sir; you may pick up that chicken and double-quick with it around to the chaplain’s tent.” The chaplain was greatly scandalized at the idea of partaking of stolen provender; but, nevertheless, tradition saith that deep in the stilly night there was a sound of revelry in his tent, and the tell-tale chicken bones were lying around loose the next day, silently bearing witness to the ungodliness of the army chaplain. - Phil Queer. A Broken Door-Bell. Hudson Taylor, who at that time kept a book store in Washington, and who was a warm friend of Secretary Stanton, says: “The morning after the assassination of Lincoln it Was stated in newspaper articles that two gentlemen who were walking leisurely along near Mr. Stanton’s house at eight o’clock the night of the tragedy, the hour fixed for the attack on Seward and Johnson, saw a tall man with a high hat hurry off Stanton’s stoop, and though they remarked it as singular, gave it only a passing notice. The next morning, when I made my usual call on Stanton, he said, after reading the article referred to: ‘I was tired out last night and went home early, and was in the back room playing with the children when those gentlemen saw the man hurry off my stoop. If the door-bell had rung, it would have been answered and the mah admitted, and I, no doubt, would have been attacked, but the bell wire was broken a day or two before, and though we had endeavored to have it repaired, the bell-hanger had put us off because of a pressure of orders.’ When I went back to my store after this interview with Mr. Stanton,” said Mr. Taylor, “I mentioned the matter to one of my clerks, who exclaimed, quickly: ‘That is so, I know, because at seven o’clock last night I went to Air. Stanton’s house with a book and pulled and pulled the bell-knob, but got no response. I stepped into the vestibule, and looking up saw the broken bell-wire and reaching" up pulled it, when the butler answered and asked: “How did you ring that bell?” and expressed surprise, and added: “It has been broken a day or two and has annoyed us much.’” We all agreed, including Mr. Stanton,” said Mr. Taylor, “that if that bell-wire had been in working Order Mr. Stanton would have been assassinated, for the man had evidently pulled on the bell-knob several times, and getting no response became frightened and fled.” Telling Moves. In 1863, when General Thomas was holding Knoxville and Chattanooga against the combined hosts of the Confederacy, and was being reduced to the last resource for. rations, occurred some of the most brilliant generalship of the war. First—General Thomas is worthy of all praise for holding on. Second—General Sherman is worthy of great praise for his tremendous exertions made in marching from Memphis to relieve Thomas. While passing upon this march between Lookout Mountain and the river, he saw a lines of picket fires on the opposite side of the river, one and a quarter miles in length. He went into camp just above on a small creek. : At sundown the next day a pontoon bridge began to form, numbering forty boats. Each boat carried" forty men. As fast as launched they moved down out of the way. Perfect silence was maintained. The enemy’s lights shone across the river and yet they allowed our boats to drop down and land their freight right in their midst and call upon them to surrender without arms in their hands—a night surprise. Not a gun was fired on either side, so complete was the surprise. But such yelling as we did when running up the bank must have given them the idea that we were sixteen thousand instead of sixteen hundred men. Another camp back among the hills was surrounded and taken in like manner the same night—an entire corps of Confederates without firing a gun. We learned later that their pickets saw the fleet, but supposed it a Yankee pontoon bridge that had broken loose and was floating down. Its floating was a sad joke on them. Reuben P. Reed. Soldiers’ Home, Leavenworth, Kan. Raising Dogs on a Pole. My individual war experience was not varied by great battles, but I wasin actual war and camp life. ' Your correspondents seem to have touched about every phase of camp life except dog-killing, and to-have left that to me. While lying in camp near Louisa Court House, Virginia, we were greatly pestered by the canines—hungry fellows—regular camp followers for the crumbs. The boys used to shoot them, and I told them that we were in greater danger from their bullets intended for dogs than from the Johnnies and those intended for the Johnnies—l tried the bayonet, but that did not seem to work. They would yell, and run, and yell, and that was all the good it did. They staid in camp.. Finally I bethought me of a spring pole, something after the style of a rabbit trap. This trap worked like a charm, and when it raised a dog it was with a slip-noose which soon eased his pain and made sure work. A little Irishman (old, but small), would run up and whack them after they were caught, saying, “Ah, but didn't he cry New Yorrick. New Yorrick, now.” Finally an old Johnnie came to me and said: “My little boy just loves you YanHe would fight for you any day, he likes you so well, and now won’t you spare him one have killed six of them. I Will d taribe the one we want you to save,” and he did then and there proceed to describe the little dog which he wanted ns to save, and we saved that dog because the little boy liked us so well. I only raised eighteen dogs on that pole, and it was a short stay we wade and rather a poor season for Virginia dogs. That is the way to raise dogs. It saves powder.

The Race for the Championship in the League and the American Associations. Detroit and St. Louis Still in the Lead—- ‘ Notes and Gossip of the Game. [Chicago correspondence. I , The play of last week has made no material change in the positions of the League clubs, Detroit still maintaining the lead by two games over Chicago, the latter seven games ahead of New York, with Philadelphia, Boston, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Washington in the order named. The season is half over, and it seems to be definitely settled that the contest for the League championship lies between Detroit and Chicago. The New York club claim that they have a show for the pennant, but the chances are that if they play the best kind of ball they may make a fairly close finish with the leaders, and if they don’t they will not be as close up when the end is reached as they are now. They are great ball players, but Detroit and Chicago are greater. Mapy of the friends of Philadelphia claim that club has a chance for lhe pennant, but we consider it a falling down one at the best, although it would not surprise ns to see them take third place. Look out for them next year. ■ The air is stilb filled with rumors that Von der Ahe has bought the franchise of the St. Louis League Club, and will put his American Association champions in the place of the Maroons next season. It is difficult, at this time, to predict what may happen next year, but we doubt the making of any great change in the material of the League. In the American Association St. Louis is in the lead, Brooklyn following, nine games behind. The pennant, barring some great accident, will go to Von der Abe’s aggregation of talent, but who will occupy second place is not so easily foretold, Brooklyn having won 40, Cincinnati and Louisville 39 each, and Pittsburgh 38 games. What exciting times a race like that for the pennant would make. The following tables show the relative positions of the clubs: NATIONAL LEAGUE. Games Games PostClubs— won. lost, poned. Detr0it......14 4 Chicag0....1...49 IS 5 New York 42 21 5 Philadelphia. 36 23 8 Boston2s 37 & St. Louis2o 46 3 Kansas Cityl4 45 10 Washington.......ll 47 10 THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION. •. Clubs— Won. Lost AthleticV3l 36 8a1tim0re....... ....24 44 Brooklyn4o 31 Cincinnati....... 39 39 Louisville 39 37 Metropolitan 27 40 Pittsburg3B 33 St. Louis 49 27 HOME GROUND GAMES.

The following record shows the games played on the home grounds of each club: Games Games Clubs— won. lost. Detroit 33 5 Chicago3l 8 New Y0rk....22 5 Philadelphial7 6 805t0n...................10 ; 12 St. Louisl3 25 Washington 8 26 Kansas City 7 18 The Southern League, or at least one or more of its is charged with “fattening” the record of players when desirous of disposing of them to some Northern club. This is equivalent to “salting” a mine before inspection. Tony Souke, late of the Augusta Club of the Southern League, has been signed as change catcher by Chicago. He is originally from Chicago, played two years ago with the Chicago Unions, and is a good, reliable player. Ewing’s leg is reported to be about well again, and he will be ready to catch for the New York “giants” when the Western clubs arrive on Eastern grounds. It is a foregone conclusion that sleepy old St. Louis cannot support both a National League and an American Association nine; one or the other must quit. Which shall it be? Any club wishing to celebrate with tin roosters, new brooms, dupk calls, kazoos, etc., can buy a job lot of such articles cheap from the Detroit management. Before the season of 1886 is over, lefthanded pitchers will have lost their terror for many of the boys. ~ GHutaonfpFthe Chicagos, seems to have got his second wind, commencing with the Detroit series in Chicago, and is pitching better ball than ever. His great fault seems to be in getting a little careless when the club has obtained an apparently safe lead. John F. Driscoll, formerly a well-known pitcher, connected with the Athletic, Louisville, Pittsburgh, and other clubs, died of consumption at his home in Lowell, Mass., July 18. Since Larry Corcoran joined the Washingtons, his arm is reported to have again given out, so that be is useless as a pitcher. Larry’ is a valuable man in a nine, however, as he is a good fielder, either out or in, and a fair batter. The question is now: Will Von der Ahe swallow Lffcas, or will Lucas swallow Von der Ahe? The defeat of Detroit by Kansas City, July 21, was a surprise party all round. The_ game was tied at two runs each, until the eleventh innings, when the “cowboys” got on to Getzein, and “punched” Out ten runs, seven oftiiem earned. It is hoped that another year will see the . umpire question in some different shape. The clubs must be made to respect the opinions of the umpire, at least in public. If “kicking” during the game is allowed to the players, the spectators will also take a hapd, and such disgraceful scenes as recently occurred in Cincinnati will become the rule and not the exception. When this stage is reached, good-by national game, because ladies and gentlemen will no longer tolerate a pastime which caters to the hoodlum element. Sunday playing and beer-selling, which is permitted on the Cincinnati grounds, may have had something to do with their recent riot there. The league clubs show great wisdom in not playing Sunday games nor permitting beer to be sold on their grounds. It is reported of Mike Scanlon, manager of the Washingtons, that when in St. Louis recently, one of his players got his back up and “sassed” him, whereupon Mike took the offender into an anteroom, and chastised him, paternal fashion, until he yelled “murder, police,” etc.

That game in Detroit the other day astonished the people of Kansas City, and they thought they were being played fer “suckers” by the ball players when the report of the Cowboys’ victory was received. The Kansas City Times says: “ Whenthe. eleventh inning was posted, showing Kansas City with ten runs, it was greeted with howls of derision and cries of ’What are you giving us?’ ‘Rats!’ and kindred remarks.” A Boston contemporary asserts the be-, lief that Boston would now be good for a cool one hundred thousand dollars with a nine like the Chicagos.

A COMRADE.

BASE-BALL

HORRIRLE STORY.

A Georgia degress Feeds a Pic--7 nio Party or Stewed Baby and Is Boasted in Turn. In Tattnall County, Georgia, last week, a negro named Samuel Frick left his daugto ter, aged 4 years, with a negress named Mary Hollenbeck to board during his absence at his employment at * turpentine still in a neighboring county. Yesterday Frick returned, and upon demanding his child was met with so many evasive and contradictory replies as to arouse a suspicion that something was wrong.’ A search of the premises resulted in the finding of half the child’s body hidden in a barrel which had originally contained salt pork. The pickle had not sufficed to prevent decomposition, and the negro was attracted to the barrel by the unnatural stench arising from it. By this time other negroes in the neighborhood had joined in the search, and when the discovery was made there were fifteen or twenty blacks about the premises. The irate father was on the point of braining the woman with an ax, when she fell on her knees and said she would confess everything if he would spare her life. It was decided to hear her story, but, as the sequence proved, she would have fared better had she maintained her silence. Two days after the child was placed in her care a negro picnic was given in the vicinity, and she was called on to prepare the dinner. Having no meat, and knowing that she would get no money unless she served some, she determined to kill the child and cook its flesh. Being somewhat under the influence of liquor, the fiendishness of the idea had no horrors for her, and she deliberately brained the child with an ax, dismembered it, and boiled the meat down into a stew with a heterogeneous collection of vegetables. When it was served the negroes remarked upon the peculiarity of its flavor, but nevertheless ate heartily. Several now allege that they were nauseated by the mess, but none of them were made seriously ill. At the conclusion of the narrative the fury of the hearers was ungovernable, and it was quickly decided to burn her alive at the stake. She was taken into a field and chained to a post fixed in the ground in the middle of a pile of inflammable pine, saturated with kerosene. When the match was applied the flames leaped high in the air, and the woman was soon ablaze. In fifteen minutes she fell among the blazing knots and was burned to a crisp. Nothing remained after the fire died out but a few charred bones and a ring which she had on one of her fingers. No attempt has been made to arrest any of those implicated in the affair, but an investigation by the Coroner and Sheriff of Tattnall County will probably be made.

STARVED TO DEATH.

■ - Two Thousand Five Hundred People Perish on the Labrador Coast. [St. John’s (N. F.) dispatch-1 The schooner Nancy Barrett, which has just arrived here, brings the latest reports from the Labrador coast. She came around byway of the Gulf from the Straits of Belle Isle, as the ice outside made navigation dangerous. For nearly two weeks she was blockaded in York harbor by field ice. Her captain brought with him five families who had made their way to that point from Sandwich Bay, more than one hundred miles overland. They came on sledges drawn by ponies, the last of their live stock, and these they were forced to subsist on after striving at the harbor. They burned their sledges for fuel. York harbor is covered with fugitives from (be southern coast who know nothing of their northern neighbors. Eastern Labrador was buried under three feet of suow July 19 and all communications are cutoff. The population, Indians and all, of the region north of Sandwich Bay is estimated at between 10,000 and 15,000. The snow has cemented the ice together and closed all the trails. The relief vessels will be sent direct to York Bay to relieve those who reached that point first. A dispatch from White Bay says that whalers report Hudson Bay Strait has either been frozen over again or nas become choked with floating ice and is solid. About a thousand arctic bears, driven south by starvation, have crossed over from Pennyland, and are devastating the country. What little is left of the stores at Cape Mugford has been seized by these voracious animals. The Indians in that locality are eajing their dead companions, and the white settlers are burying their dead secretly to keep the Esquimaux from getting them.

POISONED THROUGH A BLUNDER.

A Woman and Three Children Take Arsenic Given by a Druggist by Mistake for Cream of Tartar. [Cleveland (Ohio) telegram.]'' When Andrew Bertali, a well-to-do contractor, returned to his home, No. 1992 Gaylord street, at noon to-day, he was horrified by the sight of his wife and three children writhing in agony upon the floor. Physiciahs wefe hastily summoned and pronounced the case one of arsenical poisoning. Upon investigation it was discovered that Mrs. Bertali had sent a young son to the drug store of J. A. Bartlett for 10 cents' worth each of sugar of milk and cream of tartar. Bartlett made a mistake and gave arsenic instead of cream of tartar. Mrs. Bartali mixed the drugs and administered a dose to her three children—Louis, aged 12; Joseph, aged 10, and Lena, aged 3—and also to herself. All were soon seized with severe griping pains, and before they could send for assistance fell into convulsions, and were on the verge of death When the husband and father chanced to come home. Bartlett js crazed with remorse, and had to be carried home f rom the store. The mother is dead, and all three of the children are not expected to live.

Mr. Sewell and Oliver Johnson are the only two men living who launched the antislavery movement in Boston in 1832. Henry M. Stanley is at the Hotel de Russe, Hamburg, taking the waters there. He is much improved in health. . Eight female physicians of Philadelphia have each an annual practice of $20,000. Mrs. Cleveland has started a children’s country-week movement in Washington. . Sam Jones says he has not “chawed tobacco” since he left Chicago. Gov. Foraker announces himself for. Sberman for President. I

INDIANA STATE NEWS.

—The State Firemen’s Association will meet at Angola In August. —A blacksnake, ton feet long, is frightening the berry-pickers in the vicinity of Jeffersonville. —Richmond has a lodge of colored Masons,and is now organizing a lodge of colored Odd Fellows. —The grain elevator at Frankton, Madison County, burned recently. Loss, 83,000, with SSOO insurance. —Horned pigs are no novelty, according to a farmer near Fort Branch, who says he has a large number of them on his farm. —The largest single coal mine in the State is the Nickel-plate, in Clay County. It employs 500 men and turns out 800 tons daily. —The fanners of Jefferson County hays purchased forty acres of ground at Wirt, on the J., M- <fc I. Railroad for fair purposes. , —The Fort Wayne Electric Light Company has secured the contract for lighting the streets of Newark, N. J., to cost SII,OOO per annum. «- , —A farmer living near Seymour, raised 1,000 bushels of wheat on thirty-six acres. Six acres of the field yielded 226 bushels, an average of 37 j per acre. —A Seymour butcher has left that place, after borrowing all the money he could. He was to have been married to a respectable young lady, but did not materialize. —A Wabash County farmer reports that of twelve hogs on bis Indian-land farm, eight have died of cholera recently, and that the disease is raging all through that vicinity. —There is an immense yield of blackberries in the northern counties of the State, and as a consequence the crop of rattlesnake stories promises to be very abundant. —A man at Newtown, Dearborn County, died from the effects of a weed poultice that he had applied to his face to cure a boil. The weed poisoned his face and killed him. —Bishop Dwenger, of Fort Wayne, has in his possession a picture of great value. It is from the brush of the celebrated Titian, and represents the beheading of John the Baptist. —The Brazil Block Coal Company is the largest mining corporation in the State. It operates eleven of thirty-four mines in Clay County. The capacity of their mines is 4,000 tons daily. —The Tri-State Fair will be held at Fort Wayne, September 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th. They are also in the Big Circuit this year, which is a guarantee of ; a large field of first-class trotters and runners. —A fatal disease, known as catarrhal fever, has broken out among Terre Haute horses, and is spreading rapidly. It is similar in several respects to the disease which broke out in 1872 with such fatality. —Clark County bad a chicken that beat anything as a curiosity, outside of a museum. It had the head of a cat, body of a chicken, and was provided with four legs. The monstrosity died after a fitful existence of three days. —The watermelon crop of Jackson Cftunty will not be nearly so large or as fine in quality as usual. The cold nights are having a damaging effect on the fruit, and for a second time this season, the vines have been attacked by black rust. —Although the widow of a brave soldier who lies buried at Angola has received $7,500 in pensions, she has expended nothing for a tablet in memory of her liegelord, whose grave is unmarked and unprotected from the depredations of cattle and horses. —Sportsmen may lawfully shoot game in this State between the following dates: Quail or pheasant, October 15 to December 20; prairie chicken, September 1 to February 1; woodcock, July 1 to January 1; duck, September 1 to April 15; deer, October 1 to -January 1. ” —The Commissioners of Fountain County have purchased the toll bridge across the Wabash River at Covington, paying SIB,OOO for it. There is great rejoicing in the neighborhood, as the tolls charged have always been considered excessive by the farmers. —The City Marshal of Winchester wants information as to the whereabouts of Edward Betts, a 15-year-old boy, who left his home, near Ridgeville, September 20, 1885. He has dark hair, light compierimr, light blue eyes, and is about five feet four inches tall. , —ln some parts of the State farmers are tearing down their worm fences, built of black walnut rails, and selling the seasoned sricks to the chair-makers for prices that will refence their fields with pine and paint the boards, and leave a margin of profit on the operation.' :■ ■ . : 7 - '' —A cyclone passed over Decatur/and the monster funnel-shaped cloud was seen by many of the citizens. The cyclone did not seem to touch the earth, but came to the tops of the treys. The branches of the highest were wrenched off and carried away in the vortex. —Recently two young thieves were arrested five miles east of Kokomo. They had burglarized the residence of a farmer. When run down and caught, near Vermont, they surrendered seven loaded revolvers, and were handcuffed, taken to that city, and lodged in jail. They are each about 25 years of age. —The South Bend Times says that buyers, representing Chicago dealers, are endeavoring to purchase cholera-infected hogs in St. Joseph County, and warns thp fanners to be on the lookout, and sdve them such a reception as will cause tMem to come to the conclusion that they dbn’t want any Indiana pork. / —A curious case is reported near New Albany. A short time since a young man 18 years old, was bitten on the arm byran insect, it is snpposed. A few days Ugo the arm swelled.to an enormous size, the swelling even reaching his shoulder and neck, and his sufferings during all the time have been intense. His physicians state that the case has no parallel in thejr experience. \ —Terre Haute will hold a great bicycle tournament in September. Two hundred wheelmen Me expected to be present from various parts of the country.