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Savannah Wetklt* %tm HATHRIUV, OCTOBER *. 1H76. ii An Important Law Question Settled. There hu been attempt* by legislation in our State to make the jury indepeivl ent of the oourt in the construction and | application of the law in criminal eases. ] A difference of opinion on this subject i has also existed among the Superior j Judges, .some of whom have gone ho far as to forbid oounsel to road law to the jury upon the trial of oriminal caeca. The question,|being involved in a recent case before the Supreme Court of the State, has been thus definitely settled by that oourt, Judge Warner, Chief Justice, delivering the opinion as follows: “On the argument of the defendant’s case before the jury, his counsel, when about to read some law to them, which had been read to the oourt, for the pur pose of applying it to the facts, the oourt stopped him, and held that be must read the law to the court, and re fused to rtlow him to road any law to the jury, and that refusal to allow him to read any law to the jury is assigned as error. Whilst we fully recognize the court as the constitutional organ to give in charge to the jury the law in criminal cases, and that it is the duty of the juty to receive and accept the law as given them in charge by the court, as the law applicable to the case, and to apply the law so given them in charge by the court to the facts, and return a general verdict of guilty or not guilty, still we are not aware of any law or rule of prac tice adopted by the judges in con vention that will authorize the court to prohibit counsel in the argument of criminal cases from reading law to the jury, if they shall think proper to do so. Counsel, in their argument, may read law to the court in the hearing of the jury, or they may read law to the jury in tha‘jearing of the court, subject to the' *• correction of the court in its charge, which is to be considered as the authori tative exposition of the law for the con sideration of the jury. In our judgment the court erred in not allowing the de fendant’s counsel to read the law in his argument to the jury, on the statement of facts disclosed in the record.” The Atlanta Constitution, commenting on the decision, says: “We think that this decision, in its practical results, places the law just as it should be. The great right of jury trial is fully pre served, and yet kept within its legitimate bounds." How a Snake Charmed a Hoy. [From tho Reading Eagle.] For the last two weeks a son of Allen Rogers, aged eleven years, a wood-cutter on the Blue Mountains, about three miles from Hamburg, lias been in the habit of leaving his father’s house every morning about! o’clock, and not returning till noon. The parents of the boy have ques tioned him several times as to where he went, and the boy would reply, to play with a neighboring boy named Springer. On Friday last the father watched his son, and followed at a short distance, and when about a half mile from the house, the boy entered a piece of thick sprout land, in from the road some two hundred yards, whero he seated himself upon a large rock, and in less than ten minutes the father was horrified on sooing a monster black snake crawl upon the rock and put its head on the boy’s lap. Tho father states that the snake was the largest he ever saw on the hills. Ho states that it was easily fifteen feet long, and as thick as his arm, which is well developed. The boy hod taken bread with him, and was feeding tho snake, which at intervals would stick a large tongue out as if his sing for more to eat. Then it would coil itself around the neck and body of the boy, aud play with its mouth and neck with the boy’s bands. The father Had often hoard of snakes charming children, and that if they wero disturbed while they wore in tho aot, they would kill tho child. As the father turned to leave his boy with his deadly companion, he turned back, and tho snake hearing a noise, at once uncoiled itself and raised its body at lenst four feet from tho rook and looked in all directions, aud then it re-., turned to the boy’s lap, and tno lather returned home and awaited the boy’s re turn, which was, as usual, at noon. When told that he had been playing with tho snake, tho boy said the first morning ho mot tho snake ho liked to play with it; then he took it food, and he was so much pleased with his companion that something told him that ho must meet tho snake every morning. One morning ho said he was late, aud when he reached the place the snake was standing up, and it came out to meet him, then followed him to tho rock. Thoro is something very strange about a snake charming not only children, but I have read of adults coming under their charms. Thero is certainly some truth in the fascinating powers of snakes. On Saturday morning tho father and two of his neighbors went to tlie place with guns, and at tho usual time the snako made its appearance when all fired at ono time, killing the clmrmer. John Chinaman Gives His Views on Politics.— Probably the most curious pair of human beings that have yet boon soon r at the Exposition witnessed the on Monday night. They wore Chi namen, clad in flowing robes and sandals, with the inevitable pigtail done up in a double bow not at the back of their heads. A representative of the Trade List, after following them around for some time, came up to them while they wore at a standstill on the bridge in Floral Hall. The following valuable and interesting conversation took place : Reporter—Hey John. What do you think of the show ? (Chinaman grins and shows his teeth.) Reporter (in a louder voice)—l say, John, it’s a big show, isu’t it ? Chinaman—Chow Hi likeo Melican man show heap big. Reporter—Good for you, Chow Hi. Did you ever see anything as big as this in China ? Chinaman—Chow Hi likee Melican man show. Chow Hi likee Melican man Billallen. Melican man dollee heap good Gtynaman. Billallen brick. He makee wore dollee. Reporter—Well, what's this got to do with— Chinaman—Chow Hi not aflaid Meli- Ssan man. Chow Hi stick up for Billal en. Washe closee Billallen. Votee six r inics Billallen. He heap great man. Makee dollee plenty rice. Chow Hi likee white man tulkee bout Billallen. Amins Chow Hi began to unwriiig liis pigtail at this interesting juncture and indulge in a series of evolutions that W6re strikingly suggestive of familiarity with the sports of the prize ring, the re jjorter concluded that it was wrong to farther molest the son of Confucius, atd accordingly departed. —Cincinnati Trmk List. The notorious Elias swindlers, of New York, who for several years have either rested on their gains or succeeded in keeping their operations out of sight, appear again in their old pursuits. The ir latest scheme is called a “General Av erage Sale,’’which is nothing but a lot tery by which victims are invited to send Ao the swindlers from s."> to s.'>o each, in hope of getting a package of goods worth many times as much as the sum paid. In short, this is only a “sawdust" swindle under anew and what is intended to be a more respectable name. Thou sands of their circulars have been dis tributed throughout the South. A dtbuble-lieaded child was lately born at W'indom, Minn., death immediately ensaiug. The dissection showed that £he aorta, or the great artery proceeding from the left ventrical of the heart, was double and fully developed, and possessed perfect symmetry in its branches, convey ing the blood to the two heads in a.-, per fectly a normal manner as though but one head was supplied from its great fountain of life. At the lower extremity of the ribs the organs and body became single. Had this phenomenon survived he might have become a politician and a compromise candidate. A poet in Appleton'* Journal says: “I touched the fragrance of her hand. ” This is almost equal to the “perfumed light" that “steals through the mist of alabaster lamps. ” Poetic license is a big thing and the poet takes further advantage of it to refer to her “shy, reluctant glove.” Next we shall hear of her coy buttoned gaiters and her bashful bustle. THE CLINTON MASSACRE. An Kir-UluifM ( Ihr Blood? Cm Hict Unrrlbni (he Terrible Scene*—Th.- Ne roe* to Hlnme for it all. [i orrewpondeuce of fbe Courier Journal.J Raymond, Mins., September 10.—I pro pose an briefly as possible to give an account of die Clinton difficulty : Occupying tbe position I do as one of the Executive Committee of tbe Democratic Conservative party of this county, through whom the arrangements were perfected for the joint discussion at that place, and hav ing been present on the occasion and wit nessed as much as any one man could see of what transpired, and having taken the pains and trouble of learning from o'hers present what they saw and knew of it, and having undertaken to get what information I could in tbe few brief days since the oc currence whether or not tile negroes went there with the intention of kiiliug the whites, I feel that with these means o in formation at band I am prepared to give a fnll and complete version or tbe whole mat ter; and what I give will he facts—either what I saw and know mvself or what I nave ascertained and can prove to be true. THE BEGINNING OF THE HOW. In the early part of the week handbills were posted up in various parts of the county that a grand Republican barbecue would be given on Saturday, the 4th of September, by the “Cliutou Republican Club;” that H. T. Fisher, A. Ames, and James Hill, Kepub lican candidates for Congress, woul * ad dress the meeting, and that all person* were invited to be present. On Friday, the 31, al/out 11 a. m., the Chairman of the Demo cratic and Conservative Executive Commit tee of Hinds county received a communica tion from the Cliutou Democratic Club in forming him that a joint discussion had been proposed by the Radicals for the next day, and requiring speakers to be sent. He handed me the letter, with im-tructeus to notify Judge Amos It. Johnson, Judge George L. Potter, at Jacksou, and .Marve Dabney, at Edmunds, to go to Clinton. I wrote and telegraphed to these geu'bmen to be sure and be present. The Demo cratic Club at Raymond, to which both the Chairman and myself belonged, was called together that evening, audit was announced that an invitation bad been received to be present at the joint discussion at Clinton ; and a similar having been re ceived from Utica, there was considerable discussion as to which invitation should he accepted, it was finally determined to ac cept the invitation from Clinton, with leave to any particular in lividuals to go to Utica. Accordingly, early Saturday morniug quite a number of tbe members of the Democratic Club from Raymond, including old, young, and middle aged men, went to Clinton to hear the joint discussion, having no intima tion wnatever of a difficulty, and only a very few, say ten or twelve who were armed, and they were men who were accustomed to carry pistols. That morning the writer hoard of several negroes purchasing ammunition in Raymond, and heard of ouo who seemed a little agitated when he asked for it ; hut as the colorod people use a great deal of am munition he thought nothing of it. It may be well here to slate that Cliutou is ten miles west of Jackson, on the Vicksburg aud Meridian Railroad; has some two or three hundred inhabitants; and Raymond, the county seat of Hinds county, is eight miles southwest of Clinton; aud Utica, a little town, eighteen miles southwest of Raymond. ON THE OBOUNDS. On arriving at Clinton the writer sought the committee who had been appointed by the Clinton Democratic Club to arrange the discussion, to ascertain what arrangements had been made. One of the committee in formed the writer that the Republican Club had had a meeting and rescinded the invita tion, but that Charles Caldwell and Mr. John Chilton, who constituted the Republican committee to extend tbe invitation and ar range the discussion, were not present when the Republican Club had rescinded the in vitation, and were mortified at their action, and felt determined to stilt have the joint discussion. About 11 o’clock the Republican clubs marched through the town with music and banners, some COO strong, but displayed (as the writer then remarked) very little en thusiasm, and passed out to the cast, aud alter they had gone through, most of the white men who were at the barbecue went out to tlie grounds before the procession re turned through town, and wero on the grounds when they arrived. About 12 or 1 o’clock the committee agreed on the terms of the discussion, which wero these : Judge Amos R. Johnson, Democratic aud Conser vative candidate for tho State Senate, should open with a speech of one hour ; Mr. 11. F. Fisher, associate editor of the Jackson Times (Republican), should respond with a speech of one hour aud a quarter, and then Judgo Johnson should respond with a fifteen-minute speech. The place selected for the speaking was three-quarters ol' a mile from Clinton, in a grovo bounded on tho north by tho residence of Charles Chilton, oil the south by Cm Vicksburg aud Meridian Railroad, on the east by the Brownsville aad Clinton road, and on the west by a (h op ravine, through L which rou a small bdfuoh led by springs, and which afforded water for the occasion ; tho whole grovo being in length, north and south, some seven hundred yards, and from three to four hundred yards wide, Tho stand was near tho railroad on the south, and about one hundred yards from the little branch which bounded tho grouuds on the west. BAl) WHISKY EBULLITIONS. Judgo Johnston opened the discussion with a oue-hour speech, and, as ho is ex tromoly conservative, made a very conserva tive speocb, that was entirely satisfactory to his own party and listened to with respectful attention by the negroes. Thoro was con siderable conversation going on, so Ikat the Judgo could not be hoard very well except by those very near him. Captain Fisher commenced his address, and proceeded un disturbed by anything until the circum stances which led to the conflict occurred. While Captain Fislnr was speaking I took my position some twenty or twenty-five steps from tho Htand anil a little way out of the audience. While Johnston was spoak ing I was in tho crowd, near the stand. As 1 came oat I ob served, about one hundred yards distaut, a young man from Raymond who seemed to be indicated, who was oeing taken care of by two other young mon froth Raymond, but they were making no noise and creating no disturbance. 1 was between the stand and these young men and could not hear a word they said, and I know that they were not dis turbing the audience, and that they could not be heard by the audience. In a few minutes Charles Caldwell, a negro, assum ing tho authority to stop tho difli mlties, went to wliero these young men were, and one of them meeting him some ton steps from where the other two stood, asked him to go back, that he aud his friends could keop tho intoxicated man quiet. While this conversation was going on, some four or five other young men and Captain 11. S. Wki e, a middle-aged man of excellent standing in the commu nity, went to where those two young men were. Several negroes seeing Charles Cald well go down, and having seen the intoxi cated man there beiore, followed on down, and, when these started, others began to go down and gather around them. Caldwell asked the negroes to go back. Captain White mounted the wagon aud insisted on their going bach and leaving the white men, but iu one minute there were someone hun dred or one hundred aud fifty negro men crowding upon the whites, with their pistols drawn. The whites then retreated back some ten step*, and tho negroes pressed forward anu surrounded them. THE EIGHT. At this moment the drums and the bugle gave the signal, aud the companies of negroes rallied to the host already around tho whites, aud with loud imprecations cried, “Let’s whip the damn rascals, kill the sousof b s,” “Go for them,” “Go for tho Raymond boys,” “Kill the Democrats.” They had already crowded so near the whites they had uot room scarcely to use their pistols. The drums beat but few taps until the firing commenced. The negroes waved their pistols, and those who had room poured s volley iuto the ranks of the negroes, while some struck down the negroes with their pistols to make room to shoot. One or two shots from the whites drove back the solid body of negroes to the brow of the hill, and the whites ad- vauciug upon them, they rallied and turned upon thorn, and again the volley from the handful of whites drove thorn back. Bat the trouble with the whites was their pistols I were nearly empty, aud when emptied they , would be at the mercy of fiends. Each man | then began to make his way out the best he I could, reserving h;s loads to defend against l any personal assault. How each escaped with some twenty to fifty negroes following him, shooting at every turn, God only , knows. Every man tells for himself his ! own tale. Some were saved by the assistance 1 of colored friends who lived in llaymond, ! white ethers fought it and ran all the way out. There were someone thous ind negro men on the ground aud Dot over one hun dred whites, not mure ihaa twenty of whom j had arms. There were some twenty white | men who engaged in the fight, the rtst es ; caping as rapidiy as posuble. Such astam j pede of horses, people and wagons in every direction, amid screams and pistols tiring', | made the most terrifying spec table I j ever beheld. The negroes were cowardly, never attempting a conflict uuless they i.um -1 Ctu4 least two to one; and then if a j white mad brought his pistol to bear on j them they would run with all their might. When some of the pwteJs of the whites had been exhausted, the compelled them to give them up, aud, after they had surrendered, the negroes beat their brains i out with pjstols, rails and clubs. Some see i ing this, even alter their charges were ex : hausted refused to .surrender, and fought until they had escaped. The writer started to his buggy, aud finding a wounded friend ! took him to the bouse of Mr. Charles Chil- j ton. who lives north cf tine grounds, and left him there. Mr. Chilton was standing at his gate, aud was telling the negro women to go into his house, where they would be Jiroiected. I turned to go to Clinton and eft Mr. Chilton at his gate, and am told that he was shot in his own yard a few mo ments afterward by some negroes, who rode np to *be fence and fired. A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER. I rode rapidly south on the road which bounded the ground on the east to where the dirt road crosses the railroad on a little bridge. When I eamo in sight I saw some eight or a dozen Degrees on the bridge beat ing Captain White. I called to them to de sist, but they knocked him down and beat him. he having he lore that time sur rendered bis pistol, and to finish him while he was down a large black negro struck him a terrible blow on the top or the head, and rolled him over the embankment. At this moment I dashed up to tbe bridge, and a negro jumped to my horse's head, seized the lines, and began firing at me. At that same moment the negro who had struck Captain White on the head raised big cudgel, jumped at me, and as he wag deal ing a blow at my forehead, I gave him a ball from my “navy six-shooter,” which caused him to leave me. Stunned by the j blow, it took me a few seconds to recover, and when I did so I was levelling my pistoi at the n< gro who wag h Iding my horse and shooting at me. My pistol was’only half cocked, and I could not bring it down ; but the cowardly scoundrel could not stand the looks of it, aDd fled. All the while I was lighting these two, two others were stand ing within a distance of twenty feet shooting at me. Luckily I received only slight wouDds, and my horse took me rapidly out of danger. As my horse ran, some tiftv negroes (as I was afterwards told) fired as fast as they could. Some ran their horses after me, but Captain Montgomery came up about that time and poured the contents of a double-barrelled shot gun into their face*, and caused them to desist. BLOODV EPISODES. Martin H. Sibley, a brave, generous, bigh toned gentleman, who fought them gal lantly, finally, on their demand, surren dered, and as one man reached out to re ceive big pistoi another knocked him down. He arose aDd endeavored to get away from them, but they followed him and beat his brains out, and after they had killed him, beat and mangled his corpse ; and worse still, they robbed him of everything he had, even taking his shoes off his feet. A young lawyer, G. F. F. Thompsou, was one of the few who first were assaulted, and after he had emptied his pistols and received a wound in the leg he mounted a horse aud made off; but twenty negroes fol lowed him, and after pursuing him about one and a half miles they overtook him aud shot him through the head, and after ho was down beat his head with guns aud rails until his face was mashed to a jelly. I give these instances to show how cowardly and savage the scoundrels were. Capt. Mont gomery, with a few men on horseback, scat tered and routed the few who had not de serted the grounds aud fie ! when they came up, which was a quarter of an hour, per haps, after the firing commenced. Tele grams were sent in every direction, and soon tho place had ample troops to hunt down the black villains. THE AFFAIR PREMEDITATED. Saturday morning (the morning of the day the fight began) the negro women in some parts of the county became restless, and told that the negro men had gone to Clinton armed, to kill the whites. But the whites of the South have heard so often ol insurrection of negroes, aud so little ever came of it, that they thought nothing of what was told them. One ladv overheard a negro man the night before say “that he was going to Clinton the next day, "hen the thing would commence; that they didn’t in tend to spare any except the young women, but they would kill every one else.” We have abundant proof to show that it was well understood beforehand the negroes intended to undertake the massacre at tho time tbe Clinton difficulty occurred. Their cubs wore armed to a man, and every one who was present saw how quickly they flew together when thes drums beat and the bugle blew. Had they not run, but fought with the bravery and determination which was dis played by tbe whites, every white man would have been killed, and then the work of ex termination would have gone on. God only knows where it would have stopped. But they were too cowardly to carry out their purposes. They were scattered to the winds, many of the leaders taking refuge in Jack son, where they could hide behind United States troops, and left tho poor, ignorant negro, whom they had. duped into taking part in the affair, to be slaughtered by the whites. There wore only three whites killed and eight or ten wounded ; how mauy ne groes will never be known. They were in such crowds almost every ball from the pis tols of the whites took effect. The negroes now admit that they were the cause of the whole affair, and .blame their leaders for it. The reports that have gone out that tbe young white men brought on the difficulty are totally false. They had no whisky on the grouuds ; did not 'send after any, and had only taken a drink apiece, given to them by friends in Clinton, and all were perfectly sober except one, and he took perhaps too much before he left home. The whites did not draw their pistols first, and, from what I could learn, did not fire first, but they all say they would have beeu compelled to firo in a moment more anyway. It has also been reported that a fight occurred between a negro and one of the whites at the stand, out the report is wholly without foundation. The truth about the matter is just this : The negroes made up their miud ihey would commeuce killing the whites that day, and invited them there so as to put them off their guard, aud the signal for beginning the work was the drum-beat. W. Calvin Wells. The Galveston Disaster. Notwithstanding the gross misrepre sentations of the agent of the Associated Press, the damage to Galveston Island by the recent fearful storm is a very serious calamity, and fully justifies the apprehen sions expressed by the Times on Sunday. To briefly summarise the disaster, a gale from the south, by Wednesday at mid day, reached such proportions that the Captains of steamers accustomed for gen erations to traversing this portion of the gulf, declined to put to sea. Almost simultaneously with this determina tion came the report that a ship yard at the extreme eastern end of the island had been inundated and the men were fleeing for their lives. A rapidly falling barometer indicated an in crease of the storm, and the waters of the gulf, which is on the south side of the island, and in rear of the city, gradually commenced to mcroach. The gardens of the scattered residences skirting the beach were soon overflowed, the water during the day reaching a depth of two feet. All day long and during Thursday it blew a hurricane, pushing the gulf water over the entire island,and covering even the highest elevations to a depth of two feet and a half. This ridge embraces an area of perhaps twelve blocks of buildings ex tending from Mechanic street to Market, the distance of two squares latitudinally, and from Centre street to Bath avenue, about six squares longitudinally. In the entire rear, east and west ends of the city, the water rose to a sufficient depth to float large wooden edifices, many of which are very valuable. The residence portion of the city was most affected. From Tremont street, where this section begins, for a distance of at least one mile and a half west, every garden and every foundation is destroy ed, domicils are scattered promiscuously in the centres of thoroughfares, many of them being jammed together. Further to the west, in the neighborhood of Ole ander Park, where there are many small farms and a number of stylish resi dences, the water is reported to have reached a depth of from six to nine feet. A similar story is told of the eastern end of the island, which extends from Centre street at least one mile and a half. In the business section of the city large stocks of goods are kept on the ground floors, and one can esti mate the injury which thirty inches of sea water would involve. It is fair to presume that the earnings of an entire year will be exhausted in repairing dam ages. Probably vegetation has been ut terly destroyed, but that the island is in volved in wholesale ruin we do not ap prehend.—New Orleans Timet, of Mon day. Religious Processions in Switzer land. —After all, it is net in Qermany that the Church struggle presents the grimmest features. In Switzerland, where the contest began before the Prussian Government freed itself from the ultra montane connection, they are proceed ing to much more severe decrees. In the canton of Geneva, in which, since James Fazy’s overthrow, there has been a very radical change, the local Parliament has just adopted a law op public worship, composed of three articles to the follow ing effect: “Every celebration of worship, every religious procession or ceremony, of whatever kind it may be. is forbidden in the public streets, under a penalty of imprisonment up to fifteen days’ dura tion, and of a fine of ten to fifty francs. The same penalty will be inflicted upon the authors of and participators in any provocation or disorder which is oc casioned by a religious celebration that takes place Gn private property ground. The wearing of any clerical dress, or of the dress of a religious association, in the public street, is forbidden to all persons that remain longer than a month in the canton of Geneva.” This Republi can decree beats the Falck laws. — London Examines. When Bismarck’s daughter meets her future husband at the front door, and de mands, with a mitrailleuse in each eye, “You Wendizuenlarberge, whv didn’t you bring them hairpins ?” he will reach "the top story before she gets the name out of her mouth. A dog in Indianapolis is wrestling with genuine fever and ague. He has chills promptly at ten o’clock every morning, and several physicians are watching the progress of the disease upon the canine patient. * \ THE WEATHER. Mnothlv Review lor August. We have received from the signal office the monthly weather review for August, from which the following extracts are made as of interest: Temperature of the Air. —The isother mal lines for the month appear on Chart No. 2, while in the left hand lower corner of the same is a table giving the aven.ge temperatures, by districts, for the month. In all the districts, excepting New Eng land, the weather has been cooler than usual, especially from the Gulf coast to the upper lake region and the north west. The difference is greatest in the upper Mississippi and lower Missouri valleys. It has been slightly wanner than August, 1873, in New England and eastern New York, but otherwise gener ally cooler. Compared with August of last year, the temperature averages a lit tle higher in New England, eastern New York, New Jersey and on tbe Pacific coast. In the other sections it averages lower, especially in the southwest, where the difference is as much as 8 degrees. The following are the minimum tem peratures for the several districts: Escanaba. 38 degrees: Pembina, 20 de grees: Pike's Peak, 24 degrees; Cleve land and Buffalo, 48 degrees; Mt. Wash ington, 28 degrees; Burlington, Yt., 46 degrees; New York, 55 degrees; Wythe ville, \ a., 48 degrees: Charleston, 67 de grees: Bismarck, D. TANARUS., 39 degrees; Vir gmia City, M. TANARUS., 33 degrees; Dubuque, 41 degrees: St. Louis, 55 degrees; Mem phis, 63 degrees; Corsicana and Shreve port, 64 degrees; Montgomery 65 de grees; Key West, 73 degrees. Maximum temperatures—Bismarck, 91 degrees; St. Paul and Dubuque, 90 degrees; Milwau kee, 89 degrees; Erie, 87 degrees; Mt. Washington, 61 degrees; Burlington,Yt., 87 degrees; Portland, Me., 90 degrees; Wood’s Hole, Mass., and Newport, 81 degrees; New York, 90 degrees; Wil mington, N. C., 92 degrees; Key West and Augusta, Ga., 91 degrees; Jackson ville, 95 degrees: Montgomery, 94 de grees; Shreveport, 10-4 degrees; Nash ville, 89 degrees; Louisville, 88 degrees; Leavenworth, 90 degrees; Denver, 96 de grees; Pike’s Peak, 55 degrees. The greatest range of temperature (59 de grees) was at Pembina, D. TANARUS., and the least (18 degrees) at Key West. Frost. —Light frosts were reported to have occurred on the Ist in northeastern Pennsylvania ; the 19th in lowa ; 20th in Ohio; 23d, 24 th and 25th in New York ; 27th in New York, Pennsylvania and Wy oming Territory ; 28th in lowa ; 29th in Minnesota ; heavy and destructive frosts on the 21st in Minnesota ; the 22d in Illi nois, lowa, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota; the 23d in Wisconsin, Michigan, lowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. Some of .the above have been spoken of in connection with the move ment of areas of high barometer. Local Storms. —A cyclone struck about two miles east of Somonauk, HI., at 7:20 p. m., on the sth inst., and passed through Sandwich, doing considerable damage. Thence it took a northeast ward course, damaging corn fields, fences, etc. On the same date, in Palmyra township, Lee county, 111., a hurricane demolished wind mills and prostrated trees, fences, etc. In the adjacent counties of Carroll and Whiteside, barns were destroyed. North of Galesburg, 111., a disastrous tornado occurred on the same date, demolishing twenty-five farm houses and destroying all the crops in its course. It passed over Wataga, where it also did considerable damage. Its path was from one-fourth to one-half a mile in width. During the morning of the 6th a severe thunder storm occurred at McMinnville, Tenn. The wind was from the southwest, and suddenly increased to a gale. It shifted very quickly to northwest, when hail commenced falling, and again back to southwest and south, leveling trees and fencing. After shift ing to south, a railroad bridge, three hundred feet in length, was raised from its piers and thrown into the river. Blacksburg, Va., was visited about noon of the 10th by a heavy and terrific rain and hail-storm, which was very destruct ive to property. During the heavy rain storm in New Jersey, on the 11th, a “whirlwind” passed from south-southwest to north-northeast in South Orange, with a track about two hundred feet in width. Barns were blown down and trees up rooted and broken off. Corn-fields pre sented the appearance of a heavy roller having passed over them. From 9a. m. to 2:30 p. m., 5.10 inches of rain fell, which caused the streams to overflow and become destructive. A violent tornado passed about two miles south of the vil lage of Hutchinson, Minn., on|the evening of the 25th. Horses, &c., in its path were destroyed. Bundles of grain were carried a distance of nearly a mile. At Vicksburg, Miss., a very violent thunder-storm oc curred on the sth. The wind shifted to north and northeast, and attained the velocity of forty miles per hour. On the 14th, at Corsicana, Texas, during the heavy thunder-storm the lightning was fearful, and 3:90 inches of water fell. The creeks overflowed their banks and carried away houses, &c. Spartanburg, S. C., was visited on the same date by a severe wind, rain and hail-storm, damag ing buildings and crops. United States steamer Rio Bravo en countered a heavy southerly gale during the night of the 13th, fifteen miles from Sabine light, on the coast of Texas. The vessel was badly damaged and run ashore. A schooner was struck by lightning on the 16th off Sandy Hook, N. J. Off Chatham, New Brunswick, a schooner ■was damaged by a whirlwind. FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES. Three Young Girls Attacked by a Buck Deer While Hovving Aeross a Pond. [From the New York Sun.] Yesterday afternoon three young wo men, residing near the Big Brink pond, in Shohola township, Pennsylvania, started to go berrying. They were obliged to cross the pond to reach the woods. Before entering the boat they saw something in the distance swimming in the water. Thinking it was a dog, they paid no further attention to it, but started on their way across the pond, which is about two miles wide. After rowing for several hundred yards the girl who was piloting the boat saw that what they at first thought to be a dog swimming in the water was a buck, which was coming directly toward them. Having a clumsy pair of oars, it was some time before the boat could be turned, and then the deer had reached to within a few yards of them. The girls became greatly terrified, for the deer was fast gaining on them, and, from the way it snorted and plunged, they were satisfied it meant mischief. While the one rowed with all her might the other two paddled, thus somewhat increasing their speed; but the deer was slowly gaining on them, and, knowing they could not reach the shore before being overtaken, they ceased rowing to prepare for the inevitable battle. When the deer, snorting and plunging, had reached to "within a lew feet of the boat, it stopped for a moment. Then it made a sudden plunge, and as its head struck the side of the boat the brave girls brought down their raised paddles upon it with such force as to drive it under water. The girls again raised their only weapons, anfl as the head rose to the surface they again brought their paddles to bear upon it with the same result. When the deer again raised from the water it seemed to realize that this was to be the death struggle, and its eyes gleamed like balls of fire. It made a lunge and threw its fore-feet over tho side of the boat, near the oar-locks. This nearly capsized the clumsy craft, and threw Maggie Jordan, the eldest of the three into the water; but as she fell she caught the edge of the boat and was hauled in by one of her companions. Then the heroine at the oars, as she felt the animal’s breath in her face, raised a paddle and struck for her life, and as the blow fell across the deer’s head the blood started from its nostrils, and it sank back helpless and seemingly dead, but really only stunned. The girls then started for the shore, leaving the deer struggling between life and death in the water. Beaching the shore, one of the girls ran to a small cabin, one-eighth of a mile distant, in which lived a family named Berger, and told what had oc curred. Mr. Berger seized his rifle aud went to the pond, where he found the wounded deer yet struggling in the water, a few rods from the shore. He rowed out to it and, seizing it by its horns, cut its throat and then towed the body to the shore. The deer was the largest ever killed in the neighborhood, weighing two hundred and twenty-seven pounds. A bull-headed newspaper irreverently remarks that the modern dress mania outstrips understanding. It does noth ing of the sort. The girls pay more at tention to their stockings than they ever did. Tora Scott in St Louis. (From tlic New Orleans Times.) We have heretofore called attention to Mr. Tom Scott’s “Southern Pacific Rail road. which is not a Southern road at all. but a device to flank the whole South with the “Atlantic aad Pacific” branch between St. Louis and Forth Worth, and make e Pennsylvania Pacific road of it. He is working up the country, with his pictures in the Graphic and by vigorous still-hunting, to the point of forcing Congress to endorse the interest on the bonds of the road. He has not a ghost of a chance to succeed, unless he can secure the co-operation of the South. He therefore calls the road the “Southern Pacific” and expects to use the just claim of the South for assistance in the construction of a really Southern Pacific road to get heip for his Philadelphia and Boston feeder, and, if our people do not speedily wake up to a fnll understand ing of the programme, he will succeed. He has been in St. Louis, evidently, and a very full meeting there, reported in the Republican of the 16th, responded exactly to his views. The honorable Tom does not appear in the proceedings, but we may be very sure he is in the pie up to his neck, as St. Louis is the base of his operations in the West. It was by no means a duffer meeting of enthusiasts and engineers, but was composed of solid and important persons with money at their backs, and means business. The object of the meeting was stated to be: “To consider the necessity, feasibility and the way and means of establishing a second railway across the continent to the Pacific coast, in order to give our commerce the advantage of competition and the cheaper rates resulting therefrom, and to adopt measures for the holding of a national convention on Tuesday, No vember, 23, 1875, for the purpose of me morializing Congress to take action look ing to this desirable end.” Mr. Jas. O. Broadhead in his speech said : “It is evident that a road should be constructed in a lower latitude, where there are no such periodical obstructions as those mentioned, where the country is not all a waste, and that this road shall be operated as a means of redeeming us from the oppression of that grinding monopoly, the Union Pacific Railroad. This should be done—not for the benefit of St. Louis, but for New Orleans, for Memphis, for Cincinnati, for the entire Mississippi Valley, for the entire East, and for the entire country. This accom plishment, however, will be a special benefit to St. Louis, which must be the natural terminus of the road, and must add millions to her already great wealth. ” This is tremendously seductive to us. How is a road to inure to the “benefit of New Orleans” and the South, which runs fy om San Diego to Fort Worth, thence to Vinita, Indian Territory', thence to St. Louis and so on to Philadelphia and Bos ton ? This is the road they want. It would leave New Orleans out sntirely, which we hereby warn our readers is the deliberate purpose of those people. And pretty soon they will be missionating down here to get us to help them cut our innocent throats. Ex-Governor Thomas C. Reyndds shed more light on the subject, in words fol lowing, to-wit: “A Southern road, however would skirt the rich provinces of Mexico, and bring to St. Louis , New York an d Boston the splendid and wealth-producing com merce of that country.” Of course it would, and at our expense. This is the kernel of the scheme. Mr. D. T. Jewett followed with a small tub, which was deemed sufficient to sat isfy the Southern whale. He said “that this meeting was not held to consider what changes had occurred ia public opinion, but to make public opnion. He hf'J given this subject much attention, and he was satisfied ihat a railroid some where between the 32d and the 35th lati tude was as necessary to this ccuntry as was the Mississippi river. ” “Between the 32d and the 115th lati tude” means between Vicksburg and Memphis, and so across to Wiiningfon or Charleston. But the absurdity of this route as a road which will “skirt the rich provinces of Mexico, and briig to St. Louis, New York and Boston the splendid and wealth-producing commerce of that country” is apparent. The subsidy is wanted for use on the road between San Diego and St. Louis via Vinita. The upshot of the meeting was the fol lowing resolution: Resolved , That a national railroad con vention be held in St. Louis on the 23d of November next, for the purpose indi cated in the call for this meeting; and that the chairman appoint an executive committee of fifteen, which shall have power to appoint sub-ccmjnittees to carry out the objects of this meeting. We think this is a clear enough expo sition of the general object, and it be hooves the people of the South to be on their guard. We have a just claim on the government for such assistance to a Southern Pacific road, but let our repre sentatives see to it that tlie aid, if ob tained, is not diverted wholly from us and used merely to further Mr. Scott’s Pennsylvania scheme. The Cholera a Periodical Epidemic. —The year 1756 marks the recognition of periodically returning twelve-yearly epi demics, connected with the great twelve yearly Hindoo festivals at tie great tem ples. The great twelve-yearly epidemics of 1756, 1768, and 1781, hate been well described by Paisley and ofhers. Three times twelve, or thirty-six years subse quently, the great historical epidemic and that of 1817. This epidemic and that of 1871 were distinctly Juggernaut pilgrim cholera. In 1826 the first indi cations of another pestilence appeared in the north of India; epidemic cholera broke out at Hurdwar, the great place of pilgrimage at the source of the Ganges, where it issues from the foot of the Himalaya mountains. A few hun dred thousand pilgrims go to Hurd war every year ; more every third year ; still more every sixth and ninth years, and fully 3,000,000 assemble every twelfth year, and a vaster number every six tieth year. The cholera of 1826 was car ried all over the world. In New Orleans alone, out of a population of 55,000, 6,000 died. The last great twelve-yearly epi demic commenced in India in 1865, and reached the United States in 1866. If this periodical theory is correct, the next cholera epidemic will be a Juggernaut one in 1877, supplemented by a Hurdwar cholera in 1879; although the constant intercourse of Russia with Central Asia may be tho means of introducing the lesser epidemic into Europe. But in 1877 and 1879 we may expect an outburst of the disease, such as there was in 1781 and 1783, 1817 and 1819, 1820 and 1831, 1841 and 1843, 1853 and 1855, and 1865 and 1867.— Applet n's A merican Cyclopeedia. * New Mexico.— ■’Washington, September 20.—The re-electivS of Delegate Elkins from New Mexico revives a scene during the closing hours of the last Congress, when Colorado and New Mexico were be fore the House for admission, with the Senate amendments to House bill pend ing for agreemeit. Mr. Elkins was confi dent of securing the requisite two-thirds (with the assiettnee of his Democratic friends) for the suspension of the rules, when a majority would have passed the bill. A short time before the bill came up for consideration the force bill was under discussion, and Congressman Bur rows, who had concluded an intense Radi cal harangue, was receiving the con gratulations of his colleagues when Mr. Elkins entered the hall, unaware of the reason for the demonstration. He joined the crowd about Burrow’s desk, shook hands with him in full view of the Demo cratic sid i, which also shook some of the respect the Democrats had for him, and it was then agreed Mr. Elkins’ ambition to become United States Senator should be checked by voting against the suspen sion of th? ruies, and two votes were all that were necessary to have changed the resuit. That is why New Mexico did not receive the same privilege as Colorado. She was an elderly lady, and as she seated he~self on one of the stools in Wallach’s store "and asked to be shown some “ealiker,” she remarked that when she was 3 ’’gal" she thought she was powerful lucky if she got sixteen yards in a dress, and she thought it a “singful” waste of stuff to put ir more; but she had just “heem” that Mrs. X. was agoin’ to hev forty-two yards in her new cali ker, and she hoped that there might be a cloud burst in seventeen minutes if that air woman should stare round at her in church and make remarks about her clothes. “You kin jist cut me off forty three yards, and Fli have it made pin back fashion, with an overdress and a sqzare mainsail, and a flyin’ jib and a bank-action; then I’d jist like to see that stuck-up Mrs, X. put on airs over me.” Mrs. Snipe, of Texas, made her hus band ■Bvilbeffore her. Gamey 1 CAPTURE OF MORRIS. How and Where He vru Captured. [Atlanta Herald.] Ever since Governor Smith offered a reward for the capture of General Joseph Morris, the instigator and leader of the negro insurrectionist in Southeastern Georgia some weeks ago, Capt. Murphy has had his eyes open, and has frequent ly been on a hot trail after the General, but it was not until last Friday that he got the matter to where he regarded it as an assured success. Suffice it, how ever, his whereabouts has always been known to the sharp detectives. Gen eral Morris arrived in Atlanta last Friday. The object of his daring visit is unknown, but he secretly found his way to the United States Court room, where fie would remain conhned in the offices from early until late. But judg ing from the circumstances in the case, it would seem that he was fully aware that detectives were on his tracks and watching him closely. He must have had some idea that he would find pro tection under the wings of the United States officials in this city, or he would certainly never have come here. Yesterday Captain Ed. Murphy loitered around the United States Court rooms, having very positive knowledge that his man was in there, and several times he asked citizens to help him watch around the doors, as there are two stairways leading up to the offices and court room. It was not until late in the afternoon that Captain Murphy knew for a certainty that General Joseph Morris was in the building, and then he saw him with his own eyes. The Captain quietly walked into the office of United States District Attorney Farrow, and seeing General Morris standing in there, held a note towards him, with a request that he would carry it to someone outside for him. But the General smelt a mouse and asked someone standing beside him to carry the note. Capt. Murphy refused to give him the note and passed it off with a laugh as a joke. Someone spoke in a whisper to Gen. Morris, and as Capt. Murphy says, he feels assured that he told the General his name and business, for very soon Gen. Morris, silently and unobserved by any save Ed., slid into one of the side rooms and locked the door. Being at his row’s end, Capt. Murphy had no other alternative now but to play his hand open. He told them who the negro was, and that he wanted him, but they did not give him up. Murphy sent for some citizens, also for Captain Anderson, Chief of the Police, and Sheriff Perkerson. He also wrote a note to Judge Erskine, requesting per mission to enter the court-room to catch the General. Meantime Sheriff Perker son and Chief of Police Captain Ander son made their appearance on the scene. By this time it was eight o’clock in the night. Not wishing to break open the door of a United States office, they thought of taking him through the transom. Captain Murphy climbed up to the transom and struck a match, but could not get a glimpse at his bird, yet knew he had not flown. Sheriff Perker son climbed up to the transom and went inside. In a moment he exclaimed, “Here he is !” He was found crouched up under the table. Captain Murphy climbed through the transom and placed a pair of iron bracelets which he had upon the wrist of the General. Thus having him secure, they unlocked the door and marched the General down to jail, where he now remains in close confinement. Mb. Jones’s Misapprehension. —lt was only two days ago, remarks a temperance paper, that Jones was injudiciously full. Being painfully aware of his inebriety, he endeavored to conceal it from the public by buttoning his coat up very closely, imparting an abnormal stiffness to his knees, and tripping over his own heels. He stalked up to a street car, walked briskly in just as the horses start ed forward—and instantly tumbled out backward without unbending a muscle. Straightway he recovered the upright, splashed with mud, and entered the ear and seated himself beside an acquain tance, making no sign of his mishap. Presently he turned to this individual and queried: “Klishn ?” “No.” He considered a moment and then asked: “Offetrack?” “No.” More reflection—sleepily; then again : “liunoverprespice ?” “No.” “Splozhn ?” “No.” Somnolent cogitation. “Any acc’dent ?” “Not at all.” He took this piece of information into his intellectual maw, and digesting it concluded he must be very drunk in deed. Anxious to cover up the disgrace ful fact and turn the matter off respecta bly, he shortly turned again with the bland observation: “Well, if I’d anone that I wooden’t got out.” He blinked off into an unconscious state after awhile, then “woke up” with his eyes very wide open, to show that he had only been thinking. He rode on about a mile beyond his street, and was finally taken home in a hack. Highwaymen Baffled. Theodore Mossman, a liquor dealer, of 506 Eighth avenue, went to New Jersey on Friday to collect money from several saloon keepers in and near West Hoboken and Union Hill. He started home in the evening with about SSOO in his pocket. On the Hackensack plank road, about a mile from the Schutzen Park, a well-dressed young man sprang from behind a dumb of bushes, and seized the horse by the bri dle. Two men, meanly dressed and wear ing striped shirts and no coats, climbed at the back of the wagon, and one of them struck Mossman twice in quick succes sion on the head and the back of the neck with what seemed to boa short bar of iron. Mossman fell back stunned. He could make no active defense, but had just strength and sense enough to thrust his hands into his pockets and hold them there. The high waymen beat his hands and arms with their clubs, but he kept fast hold on his money. As Mossman’s last ray of con sciousness was dying out, the highway men were alarmed by the approach of a man on the road. They then struck their victim two parting blows, sprang from the wagon and disappeared. The man hastened on to the Schutzen Park, where Mossman was well known, and gave an alarm, but no trace of the thieves could be found. Mossman’s head, arms and hauds were badly cut and bruised, but no bones were brokon. It is thought that the deed was com mitted by the gang who for two months have operated near West Hoboken and Union Hill. There have been few nights in which there has not been an attempt at burglary, and more than once three houses have been robbed on the same night. — _V. Y. Sun. A young lady, in a note to the Jewish Messenger , says: “I don’t argue with Mr. Solomon that it is ‘unchaste and im moral’ for men and women to be seated together at worship, because there are hundreds of church-goers against whom the breath of scandal could not be raised; but for us Jews, with our gossipping ways, our good-natured women and com plaisant men, it is better that we keep separated in synagogue. The rabbis un derstood human nature when they made the law, that if promiscuous seating were allowed, brothers would stray out of their family pews and slyly enter others where dark-eyed maids of Judah demurely awaited their coming, and behind their prayer-books they would whisper, inno cently enough, but yet matters not con tained in the ritual. I like the men, but prefer them at a distance in synagogue.” Senator Bayard, in a speech delivered last Friday, in Baltimore, upon the financial situation, illustrated a very pre valent feeling by stating that a wealthy man had declared to him that his chief want now was a fire and burglar-proof safe, in which his wealth could be locked up. Clearly what the country requires is more confidence. Whatever may be the differences of opinion on the subject of the currency, nothing is more certain than that any rational expectation of im provement must include a restoration of confidence. To secure that we must have an end of rings whose plunderings involve ruinous taxation, depreciate the value of property, destroy the public faith in local and national government, and fill the community with apprehension and distrust. CITY AFFAIRS. THE TURK. The Integrity of (he Trotting Course. Savannah, September 23, 1875. Editor Morning -A ews : The trotting season, which has been inaugurated at Thunderbolt Park under the auspices of prominent gentlemen, who are members of the Savannah Jockey Club, promises to be one of un usual activity, the spirited race of the 10th instant being followed bv one (closed with six entries) for the 24th, to-morrow. The purpose of the proprie tor, we have been told, is a most laudable one : the establishment of trotting turf interests in this section upon an endur ing basis, the eradication of all dishonor able practices, and the exclusion, so far as possible, of that wretched “jockeyism" which tends to lower the reputation of turf sports. In this connection the fol lowing article from Wilkes' Spirit of the Times will be appreciated by the honest lover of the turf. * Photon. Integrity of the Trotting Turf.— Those who charge that the morals of the turf are more lax than those which pre vail in ordinary business transactions, contend, in fact, that the leading trotting associations of America are either lacking in knowledge of the ways of the world, or else are maliciously trying to under mine and destroy the popularity of this our great national amusement. To argue that the honesty of the trotting turf is undermined, that the managers of our popular trotting courses are corrupt, and that our drivers are nothingbetter than a set of swindlers, banded together for the purpose of defrauding the public, simply because it occasionally trau spires that a horse is pulled in a race, or that judges have been known to wink at fraud, is equivalent to charging that the whole commercial world is dishonest because a rascally dealer is occasionally detected; that the clergy are all loose because a few preachers have been guilty ; or that all of our banks are unsound because there is an occasional failure among them. As we have before remarked in these col umns, there are tricks, and rings, and dishonest practices in all branches of business, and the trotting turf has its full proportion of these nuisances, but that a majority of the men who control our flourishing trotting associations, or even any considerable portion of them are dishonest, we deny. For strict in tegrity, they will compare with the very best in the communities in which they live, as every one who has given the matter any .attention can bear witness. There are drivers too, and many of them, who would scorn to do a dishon orable act, and such men are rapidly going to the front of the profession, while the tricksters and scoundrels are being weeded out and expelled by the inflexible and high-toned moral code that governs these organizations. There may be a few rascally drivers and swindling proprietors of trotting courses that cover the trotting turf with their baleful presence to about the same extent that the running turf is dishonored and disgraced by a like element; but we pre fer rather to point out the rogues and drive them from the turf, or, at least, make their villainy so conspicuous that reputable men will have nothing to do with their swindling schemes, rather than to denounce, in a wholesale manner, an amusement that commands the patronage of the greatest and best men of our laud. Nine-tenths of all the hue-and-cry that is raised about “put up jobs,” and “fixed up races,” has its origin with those who have made unfortunate investments in the pool box, and who seek to break the force of their own losses, or excuse their own lack of judgment, by charging the responsibility upon someone else. It is easy work to charge corruption in a general way, and sing peans of praise to v rtue, morality and religion; but such clap-trap, while it may serve to make a little cheap reputation, does no good. Everybody condemns wrong in the abstract, but it is the true mission of the reformer to specify- the wrongs that he would have righted, and to point out the transgressors, as Nathan did to David, with a finger so direct that no one may be mistaken as to who and what is meant. Such a style of preaching requires some cour age, we will admit, but he who is lacking in that attribute should never assume the role of a censor of public conduct. James Bussell Lowell very aptly ex pressed the difference between this milk and-water style of preaching, which of fends nobody and accomplishes no object but the glorification of the preacher and that which boldly goes right at the root of the evil, when he penned the following lines: I’m willin’ a man should go tol’able strong Agin wrong in the abstract, ’cause that kind •’ wrong Is always unpop’lar and never gits pitied, ’Cause it’s a crime no one ever committed; But he musn’t be hard on partic’lar ship, ’Cause then he’d be kickin’ o’ somebody’s shins. An Indian Fair—A Novel Exhibition in the Indian Territory. Muskogee, Indian Territory, Septem ber 16. —The attendance to-day at the Indian International Fair was much larger than on yesterday, over three thousand persons being present. The first prize for ladies’ equestrianship was awarded to Miss Mary Brower, a Chero kee. There were seven entries. The second prize was contested by a colored delegation, thirteen entries, and was awarded to Miss Jane Hawkins. The race for the third prize was ridden by three full-blooded Indian ladies—Wa haha, a Comanche; Mineyea, a Chey enne, and Ashaha, a Comanche. They rode in their native costumes, with bows and quivers, and full-feathered iron pointed arrows slung over their shoulders. In their gay blankets and shawls, and riding in the mode of their male com panions, they attracted great attention. Indians from the Plains had been se lected as judges, but when the riders were brought up to the stand to receive the award, the judges declined to act, fearing their relationship might prejudice their decision. Other judges were sub stituted, but they failed to decide upon the first trial, and the contestants were required to exhibit for a third time, much to the delight of the spectators. The prize was finally awarded to Mine yea, the Cheyenne, the young wife of McKusker, the interpreter. The modesty and humility that characterized the con testants while awaiting the decision of the judges was remarked by all. The reading of an essay on temperance by,Miss Sarah Duncan, one of tho pupils of the Cherokee Orphan’s School, and the singing of the orphans, were exception ally pleasant features of the day. An essay by Miss Kizzie Wiudslett, of the Creek Tallahassie Mission, was a very fine effort. Speeches were made by Mr. Reynolds, of the Parsons Sun ; Ashaba, a Comanche chief, and Pace-n, chief of the Apaches. A number of running races closed the day’s proceedings. In the evening an exhibition of the children of the Cherokee Orphan Asylum was largely attended. There was singing by the children and addresses by William P. Ross, chief of the Cherokees, and General Shanks, Special United States Commissioner. A number of Plains Indians were also present with their in terpreter. Yearly View of the Cotton Crop.— The New York Journal of Commerce presents its yearly review of the cotton crop, beginning with the Ist of Septem - ber as the commercial year. The figures show that 3,509,691 bales have been re ceived at the ports, 131,604 bales sent overland, and 126,550 consumed at the South, making a total crop up to the be ginning of the month of 3,827,845 bales. The exports to foreign ports have been 2,674,448 bales, against 2,840,981 last year—a falling off of 166,533, and 5,538 less than in 1872-3. The total home consumption of cotton this year is esti mated at 1,200,473 bales, against 1,321,- 890 last year. In the year ending August 31, 1874, the highest price of middling upland in the New York market was 20§ cents, and the lowest 13j. For the year ending upon the same date of the present season the extremes of price were 17£jrhci 14|, which showed less fluctuation id the market. Of course the recoml of gales and production, as here given, inohides much of the year's crop, and cannot be taken as an exhibit of what the present year’s production will be. The same authority, however, makes the estimates for the new year range from four to four and a half million bales, the average of ex portation resting upon four and a quarter millions, which will leave us on a basis of commercial security as far as cotton can do it. TELEGRAPHIC NEWS. Summary of the Week’gf Dispatches. HOMICIDE IN GAINESVILLE. [Special Telegram to the Morning News.] Gainesville, Fla., September 23. Mr. T. H. Branch, our worthy and vigi lant town marshal, was brutally shot down in one of our principal streets this morning by an Irishman named Shoals. Mr. Branch died in five minutes. He was shot u itli a double barrelled shot gun. Both loads took e ffect, one in the side end the other in the back. death and desolation. Galveston, Septem her 21. —The Morgan steamer Harlan came into port this morn ing with her colors at half mast. A large crowd gathered at the wharf to learn the fate of ludianola. The destruc tion there was almost complete. Only five business houses were left. These are H. Zeligsen A Cos., H. ltunge & Cos., D. Sullivan & Cos., Cossimir Littlemore, and D. H. Began. The people are suf - fering for food and clothing. The following note was received : To the Editors of the News : We are destitute, the town is gone and one-fourth of the people are gone. Dead bodies are strewn for twenty miles along the bay, and nine-tenths of the houses are destroyed. Send us help, for God's sake. ® (Signed) D. W. Crom, District Attorney. The following was received by busi ness firms from correspondents: “On Wednesday, the 15th, the wind was from the eastward, veering to the north. On Thursday morning it became more steady, increasing to a gale. The water was waist deep. Every man. woman and child were seeking places of safety. It 1 lew fearfully. The situation was awful. Screams from women and children could be heard in every direction. The water was six feet deep on the streets. About two o’clock Friday morning the wind veered to the northwest. ' The waves then became chopped, and the houses were washed away or tumbled to pieces. The wind toward morning began to lull a little, and the water was getting lower. The wind then veer ed to the north and then came hope. Daylight began to break, aud then did we behold the awful destruction around and thanked our God that we had been saved, and that our perilous condition was as nothing compared with the sufferings of our neighbors and citizens along the bay. Broad daylight revealed a scene that was terrible to behold. The town could not be recognized as the ludianola of the day previous. The rum is total. There is ruin everywhere. People were seen walking and jumping over one gully and another. Neighbor met neighbor aud told of the troubles aud tribulations of the previous night. Death and destruction were all around. A number of houses was crushed to the ground; others were swayed round and leaning over. The wind was dying and the water disappearing from places iu the streets. Those that could do so ral lied to learn the news. Bodies of men, women and children were found in all directions. A police and guards were or ganized, and the search was made for missing relations aud friends. How many have lost their lives in this fearful storm it is impossible to learn up to this time. Sixty or seventy bodies have been found and buried. Women were found, and men also, who had floated off on doors or anything they could get hold of. Some beneath the roofs were carried away long distances. The escape of so many of our citizens is almost miraculous. The search for bodies is still going on, and the number of human beings drowned will never be known, as there were a large number of strangers in town. We estimate the num ber of lives lost at one hundred and fifty. S. J. Huck lost everything but his house. Eighteen bodies were found yesterday and the search will be continued until all of the dead are de posited in their last resting place. You cannot imagine the extent of the disas ter. Nothing short of its full details will give the proper knowledge. Numbers of persons were out on rafts for hours but in many cases were not saved. William Taylor, in jail for the Sutton murders, was let out of jail to prevent his being drowned, and made bis escape. All the churches in the town are swept away. The court house is safe. One hundred and fifty-five persons, including Captain Sam Brown and two of his family, were saved. They had taken refuge in the lighthouse. Brown is now the only surviving pilot at the pass. Great destitution pre vails. The Victoria people hearing of it, nobly sent up assistance at once. Infor mation from Corpus Christi reports that town safe. They escaped the heavy gale. The town of Saluria is entirely washed away. The telegraph lines are prostrated for miles. New Orleans, September 21. —The Bulletin extra has the following regard ing Indianola: The first of the storm, it seems, carried away the telegraph lines, and the communication between Galveston and Indianola was cut off. Indianola is situated on Matogorda Bay, and there is no protection in front of it. It has about one thousand inhabitants. The losses it seems is fully one-fifth. Fears are entertained that Rockport, Matagorda and Corpus Christi have suf fered. Over two hundred lives are lost. A Picayune extra has the following : Sabine Pass via Orange, September 21. —This city is submerged and consid erable damage has been done to wharves and buildings by the terrific storm through which we have just passed. Much loss of stock is reported, and crops in the surrounding country have been considerably injured. No loss of life, happily, has been so far reported. The little mail steamer Pelican State was wrecked in Sabine Lake, but the passen gers and crew were saved. Many small crafts have been blown off and capsized. Captain Gibbs, of the schooner Truman, from New York to In dianola, with assorted cargo, arrived to day, and reports his schooner ashore fifteen miles west of the Pass, and a total loss. The gale caught him off the Pass, and there he lost his reckoning. The crew were in the rigging for twelve hours, but were all saved. No news has been received from Calicasien, but the worst is feared, as much lighter gales have in the past swept the place, with much loss of life. THE LIBERALS. Albany, September 22. —The Liberal Republican State Convention met with three hundred delegates. General John Ouuhrauo vran ujoilo permanent chairman. Resolutions were offered and referred en dorsing Tilden’s reform measures, recom mending the party to vote for persons who personally and politically are in sympathy with him and his reform meas ures which he inaugurated, and recom mending the Liberal Republicans to vote the Democratic ticket. Later. —The platform asserts that there can be no sound currency but coin, or paper convertible into coin on demand; without the speedy resumption of a specie basis a national disaster threatens; the civil service needs reforming; depre cates forcible interference with State rights; condemns the administration; en dorses Tilden’s action against the canal ring; recommends the Liberal and Inde pendent voters to support those candi dates already in nomination, of whpm x they most approve, and who ip - their judgment will co-operate witk 6ot. Til den in the work of administrative reform. THE GULF. CYCLONE. New York, September 22. —A Times special from Gapreston of the 22d says the Australia U£s five and a half feet out of water. T Me body of Hill Blount, lost with Dr. Bfjel, has been found. Six bodies were Vound in different parts of the bay ye| terday. The bark Mary Green and Ahe schooners Minerva and Amos Huston are high and dry. The schooner Adelaide is ashore on high ground./ The schooner Christiana will prove a total loss. The /steamship Harlan gave all the provis/jns she could spare to the citizens of Indianola. The town of Velasoo is entira'y swept away. The storm or cyclone appears to have taken m its course the belt of country some forty miles in width from the north of Gal veston island, extending to the north of Houston. The hurricane swept oyer- this entire section of the coast to the west of Indianola into the Gulf, GalYeston was to the south of the more severe storm. shot and chloroformed. Newbubyport, Mass., September 23. Dr. Norton, a dentist, was called out by a patient and was shot, chloroformed and robbed of a watch and $l6O. The chances favor Norton’s recovery. greenbacks. New York, September 23.—A meel ing was held in Cooper Institute until the auspices of the Legal Tender Clul the object of which, in the words of tjfl call, was to demonstrate that greenback must meet the necessities of peace 1 well as they met those of war Hoi Bichard Schell presided. A list of Vic J Presidents was read, among whom wel Peter Cooper, Benjamin Minier C vJ Poillon, Bobert McCafferty, C k ’ leon | Tucker, Horace P. Whitney and GenerJ Davies. Letters were read expressinl regret at being unable to attend fro I Wendell Phillips, of Mass., Wm E Polll yea, oLPenn., and Thomas C. Durant I Washington. Mr. Peter Cooper was oil the platform. General Butler, Hon wl D. Kelley, and other prominent gentle ! men announced to speak, were nod present. Speeches were made by Then 1 E. Tomlinson, Edward Crane, of Boston J. B. McGee, of Illinois, and others] The following resolutions were adopted • Resolved, a hat, as the contraction of the currency heretofore made and thJ further contractiou proposed, with view to a forced resumption of speci i payments, has already brought disaste to the business of the country aud threatens general bankruptcy, we de maud that this policy be abandoned, am that the volume of the currency be made and kept equal to the wants of trad, leaving the restoration of legal tenders to a par with gold to be brought about by promoting the industries of the people and not by destroying them. Resolved , That the policy already initi ated of abolishing legal tenders and giv ing National Banks power to furnish all the currency will increase the power of an already dangerous monopoly and the enormous burdens now oppressing the people, and that we oppose this policy and demand that all the National Bank circulation be promptly and permanently retired and legal tenders issued in place thereof. Resolved, That the public interest de mands that the government should cease to distrust its own currency, and should make its legal tenders receivable for all public dues, except where respect fofl obligations of contracts require payment in coin, and that we favor the payment of at least half of the customs in legal tenders. Resolved, That we demand the extinc tion of the present national banks, and the establishment instead of a system of free banks of discount and deposit, under such regulations ns the States may respectively prescribe, and no paper cur rency except such as may be issued by and upon the faith of the General Government. Resolved, That we send cheer and sym pathy to the great Democratic party of the West, and that we hail their success as a triumph of the people over a mo nopoly which threatens the safety of the country. Resolved, That wo recommend the electors throughout the State of New York to assemble in their various dis tricts and form Legal Tender Clubs m conformity with resolutions adopted by this meeting, to give strength to the great Democratic party in Ohio and Pennsylvania in the approaching can vass. The chairman stated that this was the first of a series of mass meetings to be held under the auspices of the Legal Ten der Club. The meeting then adjourned. An audience, mostly composed of labor ing men, filled the hail. THE MASSACHUSETTS DEMOCRATS. Worcester, Mass., September 22. The Democrats and Liberal Republicans of Massachusetts, assembled in conven tion, declare and affirm as the basis of their action: First. We reiterate the declarations comprehensively made by the National Conventions at Cincinnati and Baltimore in 1872, accepting the recent amenckueuts to the Federal Constitution as afulg final and permanent adjustment of the politi cal controversies incident to the late war. Second. Wo demand for the Union the support in full vigor of all its constitu tional powers as the supreme authority, utterly repudiating all claim of right by any State to secede from the U.non, or to nullify its laws, and demand for each State as equally iuviolablo the right to govern itself at its sovereign pleasure, subject only to the limitations and obli gations of the Federal Constitution. Third. In the interests of public morals, the nation’s credit and the com mon welfare, we oppose any further issue by the government of a currency incon vertible with gold—the world’s recognized measure of value—and we favor a speody return to specie payments as essential to the revival of commerce, business and crodit of the country, and to the welfaro of the laboring masses. Fourth. We arraign the Republican party for its extravagant expenditure and profligate waste of the people’s money, for its corruption, for its peculations, for its contempt of Constitutional obligation, for its extortionate increase of sinecures and of the salaries of our public officers, for its oppressive, unjust and defective system of taxation, finance and cur rency, (which have degraded public and private morality and brought upon us the present depression in the commercial and industrial interests of the country), for its centralization of power and its en couragement of monopolies and corporate corruption, for its continuance of incom petent and dishonest men in office, and for its general mismanagement of both State and Federal governments. The platform concludes : We take an honest pride in the cordial and enthusi astic approval by the people of the whole country, on the 17th of June, 187/;, of the policy of reconciliation, peace and fraternity advocated by the Democratic and Liberal Republican parties in 1872, and wo mention with special satisfaction, the assurance that that policy will be in augurated by the administration to be placed in power in 1870. the statue of stonewall. Richmond, September 23. —Foley’s statue of General Sionewall Jackson, presented to Virginia by Hon. Beresford Hope, M. P., and other Englishmen, arrived last evening from Baltimore, and was formally received to-day by Gove*" nor Kemper. The people turned out en masse to witness the reception, the streets presenting a holiday appearance. At 3:30 p. m. the First Regiment of Virginia Volunteers and veterans of the old First Virginia and Richmond Howitzers proceeded to the wharf of the Powhattan Steamboat Company, where the; case containing the statue was awaiting transportation to the Capitol. It had been placed upon a. wagon, and was covered with the flags of Great Britain and Virginia. Long ropes were attachod to the wagon, and at the word of command the veterans of the old Firs*-, tofjothor with large number of citizens took hold, and with a portion of the present First Regiment at the head of the column took up the line of march, the remainder of the regiment and the Howitzers bringing up the rear. Upon reaching the Capitol square the wagon was drawn to the foot of the steps of the Capitol, where Colonel Bradley L. Johnson, Commander of the First, formally delivered the statue to Governor Kemper in a brief speech, referring in feeling terms to the time twelve years ago when he com manded the funeral escort of the and gallant soldier who wa a honored by the -people of Great Britain. Governed Kemper responded, receiving tyK- statue in the name of the people of v irginia, and thanking the soldiers and citizens for the spontaneous honor which had been done to as true a hero as ever trod the earth. In doing this they had done much also to testify to the gratitude of Virginians to the noble friends on the other side of the world who had sent this great tribute of admiration and sympathy from the old world to the new from Great Britain to Virginia. Gover nor Kemper, in the name of Virginia, took possession of the gift, receiving it not more as a great sculpter’s work of art than a work of English affection fair Y irginia and her immortal son. In reS sponse to loud calls from the immens|i throng present, Mayor Keily also made* beautiful and stirring speech. The cal was then placed in the basement of till Capitol, where it will remain until til pedestal now being prepared in Capitol square is ready. The statue will be un4 veiled the latter part of October, during’ State Fair week. A GEORGIA CROPS. Atlanta, September 25. —The report of the condition of the cr>fl Georgia by the State Departim i.t ofl riculture for the month ending dH 15th inst., gives the following genN| average of yield for the crops named com pared with the yield of last year : Com 85, cotton 73, sugar cane 70, sorghum 105, sweet potatoes 75, field peas 81. ground peas 75. The area of turnips sowed, as compared with last fall, is 102.