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Entered as Second-class Matter at the Sandorsvllle Postoflice April 27, 1880. Sandersville, Washington County, Ga. PUBLISHED BY A. J. JERNIGAN & CO, Proprietors and Editors. THE MERCURY. A, J, tTERNIOAN ,0 CO., Proprietors, DEVOTED TO LITERATURE, AGRICULTURE AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE. Subscription: $1.50 Per Year.I volume vii. H. N. HOLLIFIELD. Flysiciao 5 sum, SUBSCRIPTION: $1.00 rcr Annum, SANDERSVILLE. GA., TUESDAY. APRIL 19, 1881. NUMBER 51. SANDERSVILLE, GA. Office next iloor to Mri. llarne's Millinorv llorc, on Harris street. HUY YOUIt -FROM- jE^isria-A.isr, (None (jennino without our trade mark.) ON HAND AND FOR SALB SPECTACLES, NOSE GLASSES, Etc., Etc. Watches, Clocks ARl) JEWELRY BIPAiniD BY JSU^2STIQ.A.3Sr. E. S. LANGMADE, ATTORNEY AT LAW, SANDERSVILLE, Ga. n IV ItViNS, U. O. Kvami, ,T» EYANS & EVANS, ATTORNEYSAT LAW SANDERVILLE, GA. F, H. SAFFOLD, ATTORNEY AT LAW, SANDERSVILLE, GA. Will practice in nil the Courts of tlia Miilille Circuit, mid in the countie* mrro iinliug Washington. Special at* tention given to commercial law. A NOTED ACTOR DEAD. •/obu T. lEnvmnnil ttirain Kvnnnvillo. lod»— 11 h Wile I'rnsl rnteil, Evaxsvii.i.k, IikI. John T. Raymond, •lie reli'hiutcd m tor, died hero nt a quarter In one Sunday morning, lie ar rived Imre from tlic south Friday after noon, ij n it a ill from nn intestinal disor- 'iir, ioiii|i'ieiiled with heart disease. Aliout midnight Saturday night ho com menced failing rnpidly, and beeamo un- i onseious. He was iift'eniled by the mem- hers of Ills company, who were grief Mri, lien over the sail occurrence. Mr. linynioiid's family live in New York and me mil here. •lolui T. Raymond was billed to appear the opera house here last Friday from Hopkinsville, Ivy., where he appeared on lliiir-day iijelit. The previous night lie appeared in Kaslivillc, Tcmi. Although not at nil well, buffering from a severe 'old, he kept up, and it was not until 4 "dock in the afternoon of Friday that hr consented at the urgent inquest of physicians here, not tonppenr Ihat night. *h' was in lied from that time until (lie hair of his death. Friday afternoon ho Irpt a little for t-he first time in several l ' ,| . VH - Drs. Candel and Herr, who wait 'd a him, say that he was in a dying |audition when he arrived here. The uiinicdiate cause of his death was heart 'lisi'a-e, eoinplicated with severe cold, n-rvous prostration and congestion of •hr stomach and bowels. A dispatch from a friend of Mrs. Rny- I, in New York, to Mr. Walter j. j :lll| h, Mr. Raymond's mnnager, stated 1 '"• Mrs. Raymond was so prostrated by 'hr news of her husband’s death that sho "ns unable to give any directions, so it "ns decided to take the remains to New i ork. A MINE EXPLOSION. A Siul Accident by Which n V Mlmlciil ol VusMcr Is Killed. I’ottsVir.i.io. Pa , —A shocking neci- nent occurred in the mine of the Chain ’’Thun collory, St. Clair, Mondav after noon. Aliss Rerlista Shniil. of-haron Springs. N ) ., a student of Vassal - college, was visding Nliss Minnie Keiter, of St. Clair. n fellow-student. The two young ladies, 'n company with a young man named llllr ry Short, and Ed'win Thomson, one J 1 ' the operators of the collory. i iili-i ! nilni ' for the purpose of giving Mis ■ haul an opportunity to inspect thooper , n llf mining coal'. The mine Imd no' cn working for a week and none Inn I’art.y of explorers were inside ai tin , 11111 ■ An explosion of fin-damp wa ‘aau'd hv their lamps. Miss Kei'er w;> ■' 'M'** Sliiuil had a leg lr mcii ami P |.]l B f)v hunted, but nitty recover. Shor' 1 I lures, uneonseioiis from many iniii- [ CS| .md will probably die. Thumps' . painfully but not sc riously I urt. WOOL IlGALEltS’ MEETING. an Fiiancisco Cal. A mootingwas held ‘' re Monday by persons interested in the "not trade for the purpose of taking such "Gum as would induce the interstate '/an mcrce commission to suspend section "iir of the interstate law so far as it re ates to wool. Under the present inter- prct'iUou of the law the rate on wool to /''w ) ork and Boston is $3.70, whereas ra * u was sixty-four and onc-linlf cents !//••• • pounds. It wns claimed that j , "ew rate was maintained the wool "'nntry of California would bo destroyed, mne surplus product could not be sent . " "h profit. A committee was ap- lmuteu to collect the necessary informa- '>n and lorward it to Washington on im. ne . 9( ^ a y next. The meeting then nd- U r l ne( ' subject to the call of the com- mittce. HtAjjmm, Himilet, of Fall Moan- Rtoivi 18 a tmbjaot for the hair re- di. , s ' Re was ill for some time with le ad t 0i i 6 1 ) ' J16 > atid tlio hair of his cviln’oi ' ,t namatacha, eyebrows and r ,i. ' ' a 1 ) came out, but there is no u veturn. He would make a on, i . 1 us return. He would make f«e U»ug^' apht0 be ltibeled “ Be * SOUTHERN PROGRESS. THE IMPROVEMENTS IN VARIOUS SECTIONS OF TMK SOUTH. Muurncturina and Other Boaloora I*t*r- Iloomlnt-New Railroad*, Etc. A soap factory will be built at La- Grange Ga. The Presbyterians will build an $8,000 church ut Gainesville Fla. An axe anil pick hnndle factory is to be erected at Floyd C. H., Va. O. A. Johnson and others will build a large hotel nt Uot Springs, Ark. Bowman & Spriggs are opening man ganese mines at Tunnel Hill, Ga. A company has been formed to build a streot railroad at Mnryvillc, Tenn. An ice factory and a cotton compress are to bo built at Brookhavcu, Miss. A company liaB been formed to build a large wagon factory at Selma, Ala. J. 0. Stevenson and others will start a steam cracker fnctory nt Wilmington, N. A stock company has been formed to build a large rico mill at New Orleans, La. A broom factory will be started by II. E. Carter and,). H. Copeland at Marshall Ga. Tho Presbyterians of Swcetwuter, Tenn., will build a church to cost $9,- 000. The Texas legislature has appropriated $50,000 to build an asylum ut Austin, Tex. A $25,000 bank building will be erected on Noble street at Anniston Ala., by D. F. Constantine. Tho Jesuits will build a fiuo church at Macon, Ga. F, J. M. Dnly can give par ticulars. G. N. Henson, of Chattanooga, it is reported, will build a furniture factory ut Loudon, Tenn. J. W. Bentz will erect a stamp mill and hoisting machinery nt Bear Ark., ut a cost of $10,000. The Texns & Pucilic Railroad Co. will build a round house and repair shops at Muringouin, La. Eagan & Co. are erecting brick works at Chattanooga, Tenn., and have pur chased machinery. Tho Tensas, La., Laud Improvement Co. hns been organized with a capital stock of $11,500,000. F. Mucnch, of Charleston, and ethers, contemplate sturting a canning factory ut Mount Pleasant, 8. C. The Raleigh Street Railway Co. will, it is said, build a short street car line at Morehcud City, N. C. B. F. Averv & Sons are building n our story addition to their large plow works at Louisville, Kv. A wagon manufacturing company, of Decatur, 111,, have decided to move their plant to Littlo Rock Ark. A $50,000 compuo; has been organized at Fort Worth Texas to erect works for manufacturing cur wheels. Tho Knights of Labor Co-operative Cigar Manufacturing Co. has been incor porated at Covington, Ky. The Georgia and North Carolina Man ganese, Iron and Marble Co. has been in corporated nt Nashville, Tenn. The Little Rock & Ft. Smith Bailroad Co., is to bo extended from Vail Btircn, Ark., to Fort Gibson, Ind,, T. Tl-s Carolina Iron Co., of Pittsburgh, Pa., are erecting mnehinery to develop mines at Kings Mountain, N. C. Tho Fork Shoals, 8. C., Manufactur ing Co. havo purchased considerable new machinery for their cotton factory. The Fort Neglcy M. E. Church, at Clinttanooga, Tenn,, will erect a new building nt a cost of about $20,000. The Decatur Ala., Land, Furnace & Improvement Co., nro negotiating for the location of n rolling mill at that place. The Central Railroad & Banking Co. will erect another cotton compress at Columbus, Gn., to cost about $05,000. Simmons Bros, and others have pur chased 100 acres of inarblo lands 8 miles from Burnet, Texas, and will open quar. ries. Tho Tampa Hotel Co., capital stock $50,000, lias been organized to build a hotel at Tampa Fla., to cost about $150,- 000. A company has incorporated at Greens boro, N. C., to manufacture and sell to bacco. Their paid-up capital stock is $13,800. Tho Chcrokeo Iron Co., of Cedartown, Ga., A. West,president,will build an ad ditional furnace, with u capacity of 100 tons daily. 8. L. Carter, L. II. Davis and brothers of El l’nso Texas, have organized a stock company to erect a powder factory at that place. Tho Hiuwasseo Railroad Co. has been chartered to build a railroad from Chat tanooga, Tenn., to the North Carolina State line. A company is being organized with a capital stock of $50,000 to establish a large dairy farm and creamery near Bir mingham Ala. William H. Ford, of Lynchburg, Va., has recently purchased a large tract of timber laud near Rustburg,Va., and will erect a bark mill. Adou & Lobit have organized a com pany with a capital stock of $500,000 to build a large bagging and cordage factory at Galveston Texas. Tho Southern Car Heading and Illum inating Co. has been chartered nt Nash ville, Tenn., to build machines to light and heat railroad cars. Tho Little Rock & Texas Railroad Co., capital stock $5,000,000, bus been incor porated at Little Rock, Ark., to build a railroad from Little Rock to Racket! City. v k Mend and associates of Cincin- n . « ftfsn non stock nati, O., have organized a $50,000 riock company to build a saw and planing mill mill a sash, door and blind factory at De catur Ala. ..... ., rimttanooga, Tenn., will decide by popular vote on April 21 whether or not to issue the $500,000 of bonds for public improvements recently authorized by tho State legislature. Tho Athens Mining & Manufacturing Co., capital stock $1,000,000, 1ms been organized nt Athens, Tenn., and secured 1,000 acres of land uml proposes to spend $500,000 in building three large cotton mills, a lnrgo woolen mill, water works a $10,00 hotel, and a $10,000 school building. THE PRESIDENTS LETTER. XVh«l Ibe Torouto Globe II.. to May ml the Document. Toronto, Ont.,—The Toronto Globe of Monday says: The letter of President Cleveland to the president of the fishery union is a remarkable and important doc ument. It is not such a letter m Ameri cans interested in tho fisheries desired to receive from the president, but the letter was evidently intended as a warning to Canadians, also. While we desire that the rights of Canada bn firmly and effi ciently asserted and maintained, wc liopo that American fishermen will not be re fused any privileges to which they aro entitled, and that they will never experi ence unjust or unfriendly treatment from those employed in the protection of our rights. It would bo folly, however, to put out of sight the fact that many in tho United States, including, apparently, tho president himself and members of his cabinet, assert that fishermen of the United States have rights in our waters which we believe they have not under the terms of the treaty now in force, and that thero are privileges to which they nro entitled, iu the opinion of the presi dent, to which we say they have no title, whatever. From the misunderstanding if wo assert what wo believe to bo our rights, greater misunderstandings nmy arise. This letter although studiously modernto in tone, intimates plainly what may follow. The position is, to sav the least, exceedingly serious. AUGUST SPIES DISAPPOINTED. He Fall* to Elicit th* Support of tho Tur ner’* A**oclatlon. Chicago HI.,—A bitter set back wa* given to the friends of August Spies, who have been endeavoring to enlist tho moral support of the Turners hero for him, and his condemned friends, but the anar chist sympathizers refuse to acknowledge themselves defeated, and declare that they will carry their efforts before tho highest authority in the order, and make the issue a national one uinong the Tur ners. Spies was a Turner and a promi nent one before his incarceration. After the death sentence wns pronounced agniust him and his companions, u friend ol Spies, Chairman John Gloy and the members of the Turners’ executive board of this district, issued a circular to all the subordinate Turning societies in this vicinity, requesting them to notify tho board whether they favored the adoption of a resolution declaring the verdict against the anarchists to be unjust, and asking for a new trial. The result was a storm of protests against the action of the board. To-day the district convention of tho Turners was held for the purpose of deciding upon the question of impeach ing and depositing the district executive board, nnd especially John Gloy, chair man, for over-stepping their authority and disgracing their office. Seventy-seven delegates were present, including repre sentatives from every 'turner society within a radius of fifty miles of Chicago. After a stormy discussion, a resolution to depose the executive board was carried by u vote of 42 to 85. A GANG OF SWINDLERS. ST, AUGUSTINE’S BLAZE, A GOOD PORTION OF THE OLD TOWN IN ASHES. RAILROAD THIEVES. A BIOANTIC SYSTEM OF ROBVERV discovered. Messrs. Alfred Tyler and Samuel No ble, of Anniston, Ala., and others have purchased the entire property of the (’a- lmba Coal Mining Co., for about $1,000,- 000, mid, in addition, 15,000 acres of coal and iron lands. They will spend about $1,000,000 in developing the prop erties, opening new mines, etc. 500 coke ovens will be built to supply the two new furnaces at Anniston with coke. Tho Iberia Opera House Co, capital stock $20,000, hns been organizea at New Iberia, La,, and will soon begin er ecting an opera house. The Brazoria Land & Cattle Co., of St. Louis, Mo., are arranging to establish a large abattoir on Dickinson Bayou, 10 miles from Galveston Toxas. The l’nlatka & Northwestern Railway Co., hns been formed to build a railroad from Palatka Fla., to a point in Gadsden county, with several branches. It is reported that tho Popper Alining Co. will resume tho development of their mica mines in Stokes county and open coni mines near StokcsbursL. N. C. The Portsmouth, Va., water works have boon purchased by Charles D. Ward, of Jersey City, N, J., for $81,150, who will complete the building of the works. It is reported that the NotasulgnGrnn- ito Co., capital stock $500,000, will bo organized by Birmingham parties to de velop granite quarries nt Nostasulgn, Ala. The Fort Worth Texas Machine & Boiler Works will build new works at a cost of about $100,000. Plans have boon prepared nnd work will shortly begin. The Lttelc Rock Automatic Refrigera ting Co., capital stock $75,000, has been organized at Littlo Rock, Ark., by Logan H. Roots and others. New Y*rk Police Raid a Hen aad Make a III* Haul. New Yoke, City.—A den of a gang of sawdust swindlers wns raided Wednesday in West 47th street. The place was in full operation nnd the whole gang was arrested and locked up. There were four of them. Tho prisoners are named Joseph Little, W. J. Brown, George W. Leeson and George Plotts. They were found making up circulars into express packages of alleged bogus money and fitting out substitute valises, also sup posed to be full of “greengoods,” but in reality contained bricks and paper. The house was a brown stone flat;, directly opposite the police station. The opera tors had two flats, one for work and the other for bedrooms, luxuriously fitted up. The police seized $2,060 in new, crisp, genuine bank notes. Two men were wrapping circulars and directing them from a mercantile agency book. Six drygoods boxes were filled with ad dressed, stamped envelopes, most of them to southern or western points; somo for Manitoba. Answers to the circulars, as found, were mostly from the same sec- tipafi Heavy l.a**e* With bat Small Inanraaoe- Thn Old Catkedral, Built In 1703, Burned-One Llf* I.oat. St. Acodstink, Fla.—An alarm was given nt 8:15 a. m. Tuesday for a blazo in the laundry of tlic St. Augustiuohotel, on the north side of the plaza. Tho flames spread rapidly to tho kitchen and then to tlic main part of the building. The lire department consisted only of a hook nnd ladder nnd truck ami one Mnnsfleld steam engine, and was soon on the scene, but it was impossible to do anything to save anything, which was al ready wrapped in the flames. The guests, numbering ninety, and forty servants, with tho exception of one Inundry wo man, Bridget Bnrry, escaped. By this time tho names had crept through the. entire building and communicated to the Edwards house and “Tho Cottngo ’ on the north, frame buildings. These wero soon reduced to ashes and the flames swept on northward to the Planters’ house and the Florida house uuncx. Here tho firemen and citizens, by heroic efforts, succocded in preventing tho Annies from reaching the main Building of the Florida house, which is of wood and only fifteen feet from tho annex. The next buildings to go wero tho First National bank aad one of the oldest land marks in the ancient city—tho old Span ish cathedral, just west of tho St. Au gustine house. 'Ilio roof caught and soon fell, destroying all of tho old historic* relics in the interior. Tho old chimes fell, too, their last work boing tho alarm which summoned tho citizens to the scene of tho conflagration. At this time tho east wall of tho St. Augustine house, facing Charlotte street, fell, carrying tho flames to the Sinker block on the opposite side, in which were tho stores of Gonzales & Bcuhnyon; Moy Yong’s restaurant; Vcdder’s museum; Buck’s restaurant; Davis’s barber shop; Golderangs & Co.’s cigar factory; and Speizenger’s drug store. All were com pletely destroyed. Next Chamberliu’s grocery and Mrs. R. E. Carr’s residence north of tho Sinclait block, were destroy ed. Returning to tlio west side of the street the flames reached the old county courthouse on the north, which was to tally destroyed. The records, however, were removed and saved. Vedder & Compton’s store and Welter’s restaurant, on the west side, burned also; but here the fire was checked, and ut 7:88 a. m. was completely under control. The losses, which will aggregate $250,000, ore, ns nearly ss can now be learned, as follows: St. Augustine hotel, $160,000, no in surance; old cathedral, $10,000, insur ance $4,100 in New York companies. The “Cottage,” $2,500, insurance $1,000 in the Hope Insurance company, of Lou isiana. The Edmunds house, $10,000, no insurance; Vedder & Compton Mu seum, $8,000, insurance $500. The court house, $8 ,000, insurance $5,000 in tho Phoenix Insurance company, of Hartford; Welter’s restaurant, $4,000, insurance $1,000. On the building owned by Airs. Smith, Mrs. B. E. Carr’s residence anil store, $8,000, insurance $5 ,000 in Boston compunieB' Chamber lin’s grocery, $8,000, insurance $2,000; Buck’s restaurant, $2,500, no insurance; Gonzales & Benhayou, $5,000, no insur ance; Davis barber shop, $500, no insur ance; Alny Youg’s rostaurant, $1,000, no insurance; Speizenger’s drug store, $2,- 000, no insurance. The old cathedral, one of the most in teresting landmarks in the city,was built in 1793 and was in use for the puposes of worship up to the time of itsdcstruction. Besides tho losses above mentioned were those of guests in the hotels, nnd numer ous small losses which, although thoy cannot be detailed, will bring the total loss up to the aggregate before mention ed. Bridget Barry was the only person whose life was lost. She escaped curly, but returned to save clothing and was not seen afterward. WhalMol* Arre*i* Mad* In I’lltsbura, Pa., and Otkar Tam* Along Ike Line of the Panhandle Rallrend. PiiTSBono, Pa. The most important arrests ever made iu this part of the coun try were begun at an enrlv hour Mouday morning, by which the ‘officers of the Panhandle railroad have in custody the most daring gang of railroad robbers this country has ever known. How many members belong to it are not known, but they run up into the hundreds. Tluii stealings extend over a period of two or three years, and the amount stolen reach es nearly half a million dollars. Simul taneous arrests were mode nil along the line of the Panhandle road between here and Columbus. Telegrams from Cadiz, Steubenville and other places, report tho arrest at those places of a large number of railroad men implicated in the robberies. Spe cials from Dennison, Ohio, report the ur- rest there of J. R. Dunlap, loader of a gang, and also of James and W. Colies, with several thausands of dollars’ worth of velvets and high priced dry goods in their possession. The articles wero taken from United States bonded cars en route to Chicago, St. Louis and othor points west. One Busby, tho worst man in the gang, slipped his handcuffs anil reckless ly threw himself from the train whilst it was going nnd escaped. Tho arrests have created tho greatest excitement among railroad employes of this city. The scenes about the jail doors, where relatives of the prisoners had ga thered to learn the causes of their arrests, were of the saddest descriptions—wives, children, parents, brothers and Bisters, with tear-stained faces, stood around the entrances to the prison eager to hear the latest developments and pleading with the officers for admission to tho jail to ace tho prisoners, all of whom are em ployes of the road. A prominent officer of the Panhandle road in speaking of the arrests said : 1 ‘These robberies havo been carried on systematically for several years. The company havo long been aware that there was a leakage somewhere, and as early as September, 1880,they quietly commenced an investigatidn. Detectives wero placed on the work. We had already discovered that tho robbers were employes of the company. In September there were eighty crews of freight trains on the Pauhandlo railroad, coming into Pitts burg. Of these eighty crews, no less than seventy-five were found to be crooked. “Depredations wero committed ull along tho road,nnd losers reside nt points as far west as Denver. Fences were es tablished in this city where the stolen property was taken and then sold, the money being evenly divided among tho crews. It is estimated that nt least $200,000 worth of goods were tnkou, for which tho company had to pay. In Au gust last wo got a clue, and the company determined to push it to the cud, De tectives were employed, who followed up every scent and finally wo had informa tion upon which to proceed. “When everything was reudy, wc de cided to make a move ull along tho line from Columbus to Pittsburg, and two o’clock this morning wns fixed to strike the blow. About eighty warrants were issued for men in this city, and arrests have been accordingly made. There were over three hundred warrants issued, and no doubt un arrest will be made on csch of them in due time. The men arrested include in somo in stances whole crews. J. R. Dunlap,who is regarded as a ringleader of the gang, lias made n confession to tho detectives in which he implicated several outsiders nnd located fences nt Dennison, Ohio, New Philadelphia and other places. NIPPED IN THE BUD- •Ab BI«otl«n Fraud Deter.tril iu .lorn«y City— Entire Hoard Arrested. DESTRUCTIVE FLAMES. Mn*y Live* mud Muoli Properly l.oii by Forest Fire*. Atobibon, Kan,,—No less than fifteen persons have been burned to death by the prairie fires which, starting near Nic- odemus, Graham county, have swept northwest on an air line to Norton county, destroying everythig in its path. There is a great roaring sea of flume, rolling in tremendous sheets under ihe impetus of the high wind which prevailed all day and night Saturday. Starting on the south fork of Solomon river, in Graham county, the fire swept north to North Fork, which it crossed at Edmund station, on the Central Branch railroad, in Norton county, and at last accounts it was still sweeping toward the northwest, diagonally across Norton county, in the direction of Decatur, tho adjoining county on the west, carrying destruction and death in its path. Thousands of head of stock of all kinds have been burned and thousands of tons of hay, com and wheat, nnd from 100 to 175 houses and barns have been destroyed. People living along tlic line of the fire have been left homeless and destitute. It is impossible to learn I lie names of those who perished. Tremend ous excitement prevails all through the district, which extends the distance of over sixty miles in length by two and a half to seven in width with the fire still spreading west and northwest. JERSEY City, N. J.--fhe entire elec tion board of the eighth precinct, second district, Jersey City,whose polling place, the 600th, is on Alcrccr street, was ar rested Tuesday afternoon for tampering with a ballot box. The board consisted of Patrick Golden, Judge Patrick Mc Ginnis and Owen AIcCabe, inspectors, and Cormac T. Dolas, clerk, At the noon recess Policeman Murphy sitw Clerk Dolan putting the registry book into the ballot box. The book contained about thirty democratic tickets. The tickets were folded and dropped into the box beforo the clerk could be arrested, Alur- phy took the registry book out and found that about 85 tickets hud been curcfully folded and placed between the leaves. A number of citizens witnessed the at tempt and great excitement prevailed for a time. A PRISONER MURBBREO. Officer Murphy immediately sent for assistance and the entire board, together with the ballot box and registry book, wero taken to the Gregory street police station. Subsequently a new election board wus selected in the precinct and the voting proceeded as usual. Tho prisoners were immediately arraigned before Justice Stilsing. They waived examination and were held in $1,200 bail each to appear before the grand jury. Alichael Kane, of 201 Wayne street, made an additional charge against Dolau. He swore that when he went to vote ho was told that his name lmd been checked and that some one had already voted for him. The bail bond was then increased to $2,400 for each of the prisoners. Assemblyman Quinulty became their surety. Ripley, Misn.—An armed mob of some twenty-five m6n from Union county stormed the jail at this place Wednesday, and shot to death, while in his cell, Bud Williamson, charged with the killing of John Collins, at New Albany, about a year ago, the trial of Willianson having been remanded to this county by a change of venue. Williamson was about 22 years of age. The killing of Collins, as the evidence given in trial would seem to show, was on the inspiration of the mo ment and in the heat of passion. Collius, also a young man, shot AVilliamson in the same difficulty, and the* evidence was very conflicting as to which one of them ■hot fint or whore tho blame lies. MINERS BBNEF1TTBD. Reading, Pa.,—For several years past, fifty or more furnaces in th# Schuylkill valley have been usif% immense quanti ties of foreign ore and ore brought from other states, thus causing almost an en tire cessation of iron ore operations in this section. The interstate commerce bill, however, with its high freight charges, has caused many furnaces to use ore mined in eastern Pennsylvania, and there is not a mine between here and Allentown which is not being worked to its fullest capacity. Over two thou sand miners have steady work, and where they formerly received 70 cents they now get $1.10 to $1.25 per day. THE TERAN DROUTH. Til* Fearful Drouth Continue* with Mill* Fro*p*ot ol Rain. Ihe drouth now extends from the far western grazing lands across the state for a distanco of 800 miles, to the pine re gions bordering on Louisiana, but de creases in severity ns it approaches the pineries, from which section complaints aro of recent date. The general rains which usually set in at the full of tho moon, aro wanting, and tho cool, dry winds of tho past fortnight continue to prevail except in the district immediately west and southwest of San Antonio, em bracing Aledina, Bandera, Uvalde, Frio and Itascosa counties, whero moderate rains fell yesterday, but not enough, say the dispatches from that vicinity. This is one of the grazing sections of the stato, where stock was dying. Between San Antonio and the coast, embracing such fertile counties as Guad eloupe, UoBznles, Lavace, Colorado, Caldwell, Bastrop and n dozen othors, the drouth has assumed a serious aspect, putting un embargo upon all agricultural development, especially cotton, the chief product of this section. One correspond ent describes roadways throughout this belt as covered to a deptli of several inches with dust. The fields are barren oven of weeds, while strings of cattle al most too poor to stand up, aro traveling constantly in senreh of grass and water. hi Central Texas, embracing about thirty counties surrounding Waco, Corsi cana and Burnet, the situation is scarcely less promising, all reports agreeing that nothing but very early and pluntifulrains will avert serious damage or fa : lure of the crops. In northern Hnd northwestern Texas ths drouth is not ns scvorcly felt as in the other sections, but complaints nro increas ing daily. A slight sprinklo of rain fell during thu week in Mitchell comity, along the lino of tho Texas nnd Pacific road, but no report of rainfall in the Pan Hnn dle district has been received. One result of tho drouth is the notable scarcity of early vegetables at the principal points. Anxiety over the situation is becoming greater every day. Tlio wholesale houses are calling their drummers off the road, ,as the country merchants refuse to buy during the uncertainty of the crop out look. A SAD ACCIDENT. A Y*un| 1.inly Ibe Nlaht B*f*r* U*r W*4- dlac Day Accidentally Shot. A special from Shelbyville, Tenn., dated Thursday, says: One of tho sad dest accidents occurred last night that has ever taken place in town. Mr. Allio H. Ruth and Miss Carrie Sharp wero to bo married tomorrow morning at 8 o’clock, all tho preparations for the hap py event having been mode. Mr. Ruth called Inst night to spend a few hours with Miss Sharp. He wns getting ready to leave for home, and lmd put on his overcoat and uinffler, nnd laid a revolver that ho had brought with him on a table. She told liini'to put it into his pocket, as she was afraid of it, and handed it to him, when the trigger caught somehow in her wrap nnd exploded the chaige, the bullet en tering her heart, killing her almost in stantly. She made an effort to call her lover’s name, but fell in his arms nnd expired. Miss Sharp was one of tho acknowledged belles of Shelbyville society, and was universally admired for her many graces. Mr. Ruth is n son of Mayor W. Ruth, und is one of the most promising young business men of tho town. There would seem to bo great blame attached to M r. Itutli for carrying a pis tol, but tho explanation is that the neighborhood had been excited by ru mors of a mad dog in the vicinity^ and only n few nights before ho lmd narrowly escaped a bite from a dog, and he had curried the pistol to protect himself from possible danger. FOREIGNERS FIGHTING. A Bl«*dy Hlot at a Christening Festival In Denver, Col. Dknveh, Col.—A bloody riot occur red Sunday night between rival Swedish, Polish and Hungarian colonies at 84th and Blank street, which resulted iu the fatal shooting of one man and the serious wounding of several others. It grew nut of a christening festivity. Wheu the christening party lmd eaten and diauk, they went out upon tho sidewalk and made war upon the inhabitants of a neighboring house. Others iu the neigh borhood became involved und the up roar became so great that it required a detachment of a dozen police, armed with Winchester rifles to quell the dis turbance. Three or four police lirst made their appearance, when the rio'ers postponed their contention and j"ined forces agaiust the common enemy. They could uot stand against u platoon of l ifics however, and about thirty were lodged in the calaboose and some in the hospi tal. But one or two of the prisoners can speak English. They are all rngged, dirty and spattered with blood, and have the appearance of bolonging to the lowest type of humanity. Many of them arrived in Denver only a week ago direct from Hungary, Poland, Bohemia anil other ports of Europe. A BRUTAL MURDER Hopkinsville, Ky.,—A railroad con tractor from Cerulean Springs reports a horrible murder at a boarding house on the Indiana, Alabama anil Texas railway, about u mile distant from the springs. Two laborers, Purdy and Tompkins, roomed together upstairs. One night recently cries for help and loud noises were heard ia the room. Persons enter ing found Tompkins alone. He talked wildly and said somebody tried to cut his throat. An examination showed only some trifling scratches, und further search showed Purdy covered up in his bed with his skull beaten in. Tompkins could give no coherent account, and de nied all knowledge of the deed. Purdy was known to have a large sum of money in cash and postal orders. Suspicion was directed to Tompkins, who was searched and the money found on his person. He wns placed under arrest. A largo number of railroad laborers gath ered, and with difficulty were prevented from lynching him. ""■'is THE MERCURY. PUBLISHED EYERY TUESDAY. NOTIOE! AU Communications intended /br this Paper must be accompanied bp the /Sill name of the writer—net necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. We are in no way responsible for Ik* view or opinions of correspond* ante. WASHINGTON GOSSIP. ITEMS or INTEREST FROM OUR NATIONAL CAPITAL, What le Bela# Dob* by the Head* of Dor Oovoroaient—The Work** Review. COL. lamont’s answer. A delegation of Irish-Amcricans called at tho white house Monday to invite the> president to attend a meeting to be held: in the city to protest ngoinBt the coercion policy in Ireland. They saw. Col. La- mont and were informed that wlmtover the president’s private views on the sub ject might be, it would bo manifestly improper for him to attend such n meet ing in his official capacity. Tho commit tee were convinced of the wisdom of this reusuuing, and withdrew without further effort to see tho president. The president uns accepted an invita tion to review, on Monday next, a pro- cession of colored people on tho occasion' of the 26th anniversary of emancipation of slaves in the District of Columbia. THE NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT. Mr. DeLeon, secretary of the national drill, says he has written no general letter on the subject of the participation of colored troops in the exercises of the May encampment and drill in this city. Several commanders of southorn compa nies have made inquiries regarding ths mutter,nnd to each ho has replied accord ing to the nature of the inquiry, but he hns kept no copies of his letters. Ths letters, however, have all been published in southern papers. He has stated ths ruling of the board of manngemont to be that colored companies, regularly or ganized as national guards, which applied boforo the first of April, would have their applications considered without discrimination. * The only colored companies whiclj applied were one from the District of Columbia and two of regularly organized troops in Virgiuia. Mr. DeLeon says ha bus also stated that thero would bo no) social equality except such ns soldiers might want. Virginia troops will form a part of their state contingent under command of Brigadier General Anderson of tho First Virginia volunteers. Only three companies—tho Montgomery True Blues and Greys nnd tho Atlanta Rifles— hive decided not to participate in the drill. Two compnnics in Texns, two in Mississippi and ono in North Carolina mndo inquiries, but thoy have not an- nouuced their withdrawal. THE BURNT DISTRICT- Hreal lltaut Done to Faraoor*—Rovoral Lives Lost. Lincoln, Neb.—Along tho branch line of tlio Burlington nnd Mobile railroad, a largo number of settlers havo lost their j all by prairie fires. Railroad men say that for miles every foot of ground is 1 burned over. Iu Sheridan and Com; counties tho tiros have raged almost as fiercely, and in one settlement four lives' were lost. The report reached the telegraph sta tion, through a man who travelled thirty miles, and he said that not one house in three iu the tire tract remained unscathed. Across the line iu Nebraska, Beavor Bot tom has been on lire for two days. A< large force of railroad grnders on a line being built in southern Furnas county were surrounded in comp by tho flij and escape wus only limdo by tho greatest ef fort, the men leuving their tents, clothes and everything behind at the mercy of the flames. One iiinn was so seriously burned that ho cannot recover. A private telegram to this city from an official of the road in that vicinity estimates that at least a dozen lives have been lost in tho two days’ fires. Railroad officials are very reticent as to the damage incurred, but among homesteaders ana settlers in northwestern Kansas, they must be very great. Part of the town of Norcatier, that was burned ill tho high wind, is re ported to have been burned by inroads of the prairie fire, but later advices say the fire originated in the village. BIRMINGHAM TO TALLAHASSEE. Work to be Pushed Through ut Once—A Gruud Trjank Line. Albany, Ga.—Last Wednesday in this city the Birmingham syndicate .paid to tho original owners the $20,000 cash for tho olaBainbridge, Cuthbort and Colum bus roadbed from Cuthbert to Bainbridgo, a distance of sixty-four miles. Several corps of engineers will bo placed in the field at once, and work will bo pushed through. The Birmingham, Georgia and Florida will be a grand trunk liue from Birmingham to Tallahassee, with a branch lino at Cuthbert to Albany, thence to Brunswick. Parties who are iu a posi tion to know say that this road lias killed all hope of the Columbus Southorn. This city is jubilant over tho prospect of the connection, as we thereby get all we wish without any trouble or expense. A VILLAGE DESTROYED. Baltimore, Md.—A steamer which arrived Wednesday fiom the Rappahan nock river, Virginia, reports the destruc tion of the village of Farnliam by fire on Monday last. The population was threo hundred, and was entirely swept by tire. It is situated about seven miles from Sharp’s wharf, on the Rappahannock, nnd midway between Heathsvjllo and War saw. Among the heaviest losers are E. L. Mozings, F. Mozings and It. L. Rey. uolds, whose dwellings wore consumed. The old Protestant Episcopal church built in colonial days, and ono of the old. cst houses of worship in the state, was burned to the ground. The amount of losses could not be ascertained. VERMONT SHAKEN. Burlington, Vt.—Two shocks of earthquake occurred here Sunday, the fiist rather light, at 2:80, and the second ten minutes later. The second shock was very heavy, resembling a concussion from a large gun, followed by a jar of fifteen Bcconds duration. The doors and windows rattled, and those living in the third story of the blocks say the building seemed to sway to and fro. The people ran into the streets in a pnuic, many sup posing that a terrific explosion had oc curred near by. ii