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THE WEEKLY CONSTITUTION
VOLUME XIV
TUESDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 27, 1881.
PRICE 5 CENTS
FLYING WITHOUT WINGS.
-ANIMALS THAT MOVE FREELY
THROUGH THE AIR.
???Pro* sion, of Nature that are U*ed In Fllzht???The
Elevated Rapid Tranalt of a Spider???Extermi
nating a Bl* Colony or Bat*-A Chapter
of Interest to the Stodcnta of Nature.
New York Sun.
???Birds and Insects arc* not the only ani-
inib that fly,??? a veteran taxidermist said.
??????Here???sa collection I???m making that sliows
all the itnimats known that move through the
-air without wings???nof many, to he sure, but
interesting cno.ugh when you come to think
-about it. Now, if any one should tell you
that he'd seen and shot a monkey sailing
through the air one hundred feet from the
ground, you???d think perhaps he was over
loading you with facts; but here???s the very
creature, a regular flying monkey. lie ain???t
much at it now, on pccount of being a little
too set up,??? with a cough of apology for the
professional joke. ???Iks name is the coiugo
or flying lemur. They are found in the
Islands of the Indian Archipelago. Y'ou
.see, the limbs ure connected by this wide
membrane that looks exactly like a
great hairy cloak that, if the animal folded
his arms, would completely cover it up. It
is a night animal, like the bat. and lives on
very much the same kind of food, and spends
its time in the trees. When it is crawling
along the limb the membrane hangs closely
to the body, and you never would suspect it
of Hying; hut let anything disturb it, and it???s
good-bye legs. It.rushes to tlie top m the
tree, out on the end of a branch, and dashes
off into the air. The four legs are stretched
???out nt full length, and the skin be
tween them bellies out like a parachute,
???and it moves away, floating down and
swinging from side to side, and aityr passing
perhaps two or three hundred feet downward
sweeps up twenty-live or thirty, fastens to a
limit, and, in less time than you can tell it, is
at the top of a tree and has flung itself oil
again. It travels so fast in this way that a
mail told me that he couldn't keep up with
???one by running along below; and in one case
vwhere one jumped from a tree nearly one
hundred feet high, it came down about fifty
feet with a rush, and by the force of its
swoop rose nearly the same distance again.
They carry their young, generally too,
through the air with them.
???Here are a number of squirrels that are
wonderful flyers. This one,??? smoothing
down the rich brown skin of an animal re-
s mi tiling our spotted variety, ???is the ???sugar
squirrel,??? from the south Pacific. Its legs are
connected by a delicate membrane, which it
uses by a very similar way to the Hying mon
key, only it is much more o* a flyer, and in
.4hia.fqieratioji.j*..>is<:?.. t.q??. .to steer with.
They travel in flocks, and Mr. Dennett, tfic
.great traveler, often saw them sweeping over
.a river that was nearly two hundred feet wide,
and the elevation from which they started
was not more than thirty feet. Here is another
that looks like our common squirrel. It is
called the Ariel, and a good name it is, as
it spends most of its time in the air.
Air. Broderip tells this of one of them:
We had one of these squirrels on
board when off the coast of New Holland.
???On one oocnsion it reached the mast-head,
and. ns the sailor who was dispatched to bring
it down approached, it % mmlc a spring from
aloft to avoid him. At this moment the ship
gave a heavy lurch, which, if the original di
rection of the little creature???s course had been
???continued, must have plunged it into the sea.
All who witnessed the scene were in pain for
its safety, but it suddenly appealed to check
itself, and so to modify its career that it
alighted safely on the. deck.??? This shows
that the membrane is not merely a parachute,
.as they can change their coir e.
???Hero is a flying mouse from fan Dicmnn???s
Land, though it might be called a flying
opossum, as it lias a pouch for its young.
In appearance it resembles an ordinary
mouse, being but six inches long
including the tail. The hair is arranged on
cither side of the tail in two rows, exactly
like feathers, and undoubtedly brought into
play ns a rudder in its daring flights from tree
to tree. Another flyer is the flying plialaoger
of New Holland. It is nearly three feet in
length, and a ponderous animal forsuch serial
flights. Bqt the largest and heaviest flyer is
the tagnan, also from New Holland. It looks
like a gigantic squirrel, with great, Happy
ears, and a long tail covered with bristling,
stiff hairs more than two inches in length. It
is never seen on the ground, but it darts from
tree to tree by the aid of the wonderful mem
brane that it spreads to the breeze. The flesh
is eagerly sought after by the natives,
who ??? show remarkable cunning in
???capturing them, A slight scratch on the bark
of tile>trec, or a chance hair that lias adhered
to the side of the hole in the tree into which
the animal lias entered, tells its tale, according
to Wood, as clearly to the black man as if lie
liadseen tlie animal ascend the tree and enter
his domicile. He is even able to gather from
the appearance of the scratct. and the aspect
of tlie hairs, how many ho., .s have elapsed
since the animal,left traces bunind it,andean
conjecture very accurately whether tlie intend
ed prey is still within its residence.. Should
the indications be favorable, the native pro
ceeds to cut little holes in the tree in which
he thrusts his toes and lingers, and ascends
???the huge trunk as easily as a brick-layer
walks up a ladder. Having reached the
aperture, he strikes the _ tree sharply
once or twice with the back of the hatchet, so
as to learn by the echo the position of the
-animal within the hollow. He then rapidly
cuts a hole through the tree into the cavity,
seizes tlie concealed tagnan by its tail, jerks it
out leforc it has time to use its claws or teeth,
dashes it against the tree, and drops it to the
ground dead. Our common flying squirrel* is
-one of the prettiest of flyers. 1 have seen one
land in the water, swim to a scli*soner lying
in the stream, ana in a moment it had reached
the masthead and thrown itself off, landing
in the branches of a tree one hundred and
jfiftv feet away.
??????Tlie collection is to be complete as regards
species.??? he continued, "so 1 have a number
-of bats, from the vampire up to tlie flying
box, and there are over fohr hundred differ
ent kindaaltogether. You often read about
the size of the vampire, and you can always
set it down that the writer lias never seen
one, as the real vampire is a small bat com
pared to some. These blood suckers and
what are called the leaf-nosed bats are found
mostly east of the Andes. The horse-shoe
bats come from the old world, and it is my
???purpose to add-to tlie collection all the fossil
bats. A perfect skeleton of one has quite re
cently been found in the gypsum ot Mont
martre, and six or seven fossil species have
been found in the caves of Brazil. But when
you come to size, a bat-like animal called the
pteronodon has been found in the beds of tlie
west that had a stretch of wing thirty feet b\
actual measurement of the bones. Imagine a
flock of them flying along, darkening the very
. sun or moon; but they had no teeth, so the
prehistoric man, were he alive then, did not
fear them.
"Here???s a different kindof a flyer,??? holding
up a beautifully colored fish about a foot
long. ???Of course the colors fade when taken
from the water, but I have colored this as it
appeared.???,
Its head was blunt, and seemed encased in
armor, two sharp recurving spines appearing
on each side. Its projier surface had a deep
crimson tint, and from its sides sprang two
large transparent pectoral tins of olive green,
spotted with blue. Two other fins were vio
let, but tlie former resembled the beautiful
wings of sonic gorgeous insect, and by the
skillful work of the - taxidermist had been
drieil and spread to their utmost.
???It???s the flying gurnard,??? he explained,
???and it rises out of the water auu moves
along* varying from two to fifteen feet above
the water for two hundred yards, and witli
such force do they move that, as several
dashed over tlie rail of a man-of-war, one
struck a sailor on the forehead, knocking him
sprawling on the deck. They are good eating,
and hundreds of men are engaged in their
capture in the Barbadoes. The flying fish is
entirely different, being more delicate in
every way, and they seem more adapted for
flight, rising like birds from tlie sea, the deli
cate, gauze-like fins fluttering as they rush
away over the waves, turning in curves and
circles, showing beyond all dispute that they
???have tlie jiower of guiding themselves through
the air as well as water.
???Here???s a spider of the genus Lacosas that
.might be called a flyer. When it wants to
travel a great distance it elevates its body in
the air and spins a delicate thread that rises
into the air, and finally the wind takes it, and
off tlie spider moves living through the air.
Thousands of these were seen at Providence
in the last summer.
???Elevated methods of transit are spreading
even among the animals. There???s one flying
#nimul I haven???t got???the flying frog. It
looks much like a common tree frog, but th;>
feet are webbed, and when it springs from a
high tree the web serves exactly as does the
membrane between the legs of the squirrel.
The frog swooping down in a graceful curve,
and alighting easily on a tree several hundred
feet away. The East India Archipelago and
New Holland are noted for their peculiar an
imals, all of which, especially those from
the latter, are strikingly different from those
in other parts of tlie world. The latest and
perhaps most striking flyer in this collection
is a lizard from Borneo???a repulsive creature
of a bright green color. Under its fore legs
is a curious wing-like membrane of a russet-
brown color that supisjrtcd it in its flights.
It was tlie striped dragon, or draco."
FREY???S FINGERS
of these losses are not now known
neither can they be ascertained. Howard, as assis
tant register clerk, had abundant opportunity to
not has not yet been established. It was his duty
carry on a system of pilfering, but whether he did or
to receive all registered packages and to receipt to
the route agents for the same, and as
he handled these packages before any-
entry of them was made in the
post-office books his chances were, as has been said,
good to systematically rob the mails. Recently The
Constitution, as well as many Atlanta business
men, have lost registered letters, packages, etc., and
if the charge laid to Mr. Howard is established they
have the key to these losses. On Thurs
day night last when the Air-I.iuei
route agents went to the nost-ofiiee
Ilowurd was out and they were compelled to re-
maiu all night guarding their registered pouches.
The trial to day will draw a big crowd and the
result will be watched with great interest.
A LADY???S WILL,
Probabilities of a Ia-xhI Contest Over un Extensive
Estate-
Newport.R. I., Decembcr23???At a special term of
the probate court to-day the will of the late Mary
M. Iiourne was offered for probate. The deceased
lady left an immense estate, real and personal,
situated here and In Massachusetts and Mary
land. the bulk of which she bequeathed to
Mr Rice, of the Xortii American Review, who,
) while sharing alike with tlie daughters of the
deceased lady, Mme. M. A. Banuelos and Mine. A.
I>. Sartges, of Paris, receives' n sjiecial legacy of
??500.090. Counsel for tlie daughters asked for de
lay in order that they might be heard from, he
claiming that they had not sufficient time to signify
their intentions in the premises ami that the recent
gales hud delayed ocean steamers and mails. He
intimated that the health of-the ladies precluded
their putting in an appearance before April. He
desired to impress upon the court that the ladies
did not wish to be understood os being antagonistic
to the w.ll for tlie present, but lie left tlie impres
sion that it would be contested.
Counsel for the executors opposed delay, as wit
nesses who had been summoned were present to
day He said he saw plainly that there was to be a
contest, and, if so, a notice of appeal could be tiled
now as well as at any other time. Judge linker was
opposed to continuing beyond such date as would
enable the case to be heard at tlie next session of
the supreme court, and he accordingly set the date
for a further hearing on January 16.
Before the judg???s decision three/witnesses to
the will???viz; Edward S. Sohlcr, Charles A. Welch
and Francis Welch, of Boston???were examined.
Tlie testimony showed that a law firm had drawn
up five wills for the deceased since 1S66. Deceased
had her will read aloud as she said she had no
secrets about the matter, and upon being remon
strated with by one of the witnesses for show
ing favoritism, she said that her daughters had not
shown proper respect to her husband, who was
their step-father, and that under no circumstances
could she bequeath them his estate, as he (her hus
band) had specially requested that their grandson,
Charles Allen Thomdvke Rice, should receive a
handsome donation, he having always treated him
and her with great courtesy.
Dive Into the Doing* of W, If. Howard.
Quite a sensation was created in the city yester
day by an announcement of the arrest of William
H. Howard, assistant register clerk In the Atlanta
post-ofllce.
For several months past there have been fre
quent depredations made upon the money order
pouches, registered letters, etc., consigned to the
Atlanta office, and although a thorough and wide
awake investigation has been going on constantly
since the first loss was detected, it was not until
yesterday that a solution of the same could be ob
tained.
About the first v of November the postmaster
at Curtersville, telegraphed I???ostmastcr Conley for
a receipt fora registered letter containing ??280,
which had b vH i ousigusd to him ??n tho *iiy
__ Siia^iajr
of that month. As the Atlantu ofiice is generally
punctual iu all its transaction, the letter from the
Carteisville ofiice caused an investigation, where
by it was ascertained that no such letter had ever
reached Atlanta mid tlie Carlersville postmaster
was so notified. This official immediately called
in the aid of the post-office inspector, Captain Frey,
Who soon traced the letter to the possession of the
route agent who come down that day, but here his
trace stopped. The route ageut was well known as
an efficient, honest and square man, and when he
said that lie ha'd relinquished his possession of the
letter to ihe Atlanta office, his story was
believed aud no suspicion rested upon him.
Previous to the loss of the Carlersville package,
Inspector Frey began tosuspcct Howard. Thissus-
piclon was first aroused by his free and extravagant
expenditure of money and the fast life he was lead
ing. Upon one or two occasions he was detected
spending large sums of money, and that too, just
at a time when the losses were ascertained. So
wheu the missing ??280 was traced to the Atlanta
office, and no record of it could there be found,
this suspicion was increased and an effort to trace
it to Howard made.
Feeling that these thefts were too frequent and
too large, Postmaster Conley and Inspector'
Frey determined to ferret out the thief
and put a stop to his deeds. They called in the se
cret service men aud began a close iuqulry. By
ways known alone to their trade the detectives as
certained that upon the night of the day upon
which the Carlersville package should have reached
Atlanta Howard spent quite a large
sum of money. Upon that uight he hired
a carriage, and made the rounds of the town, tuk-
ingin all the bar rooms, lewd bouses, gtming sa
loons, etc. At each of these places he is represent
ed as having spent money freely, and when morn
ing came reported at his post nt a late hour. Tills
information gathered slowly but surely, and by it
the web which has, apparently, wound
itself around Howard grew tighter. All these facts
tended to increase the cloud which rested over the
young man, but as nothing conclusive could be
obtained the ofiicials thought it best to watch and
wait.
Although the losses were generally known
in the post-office and discussed freely
and openly by tlie employes, all of whom
knew that the cases were being investigated, How
ard seemed ignorant of the position lie occupied,
aud continued, it is alleged by Inspector Frey, his
game.
About two weeks ago another p ckage disappear
ed, and again about one week ago another followed.
These gave additional facts against Howard, and on
Thursday last a trap was laid for him. Ou that day
a registered package containing forty dollars was
missed, and Howard, who was being shadowed,
spent money freely, and finally wound up in a
house of ill fame.
Some of lliis money was marked and its recovery,
together with what knowledge the iuspcctor has
gained since the loss of the Carlersville package, in
duced him to arrest Howard. Kurly in the morning
he went before United States Commissioner Buck
and procured a warrant for him and sought
him. At tiie office he learned that Howard had
not slept in his room Thursday night, but came In
about 7 o???clock yesterday morning greatly under
the influence of liquor and went at once to his bed,
where he was found by the insjiector about eleven
o'clock. When aroused from his sleep Howard,
asked wiiat was wanted. In.-qiector Frey hauded
him the warrant, which he read without getting up.
The inspector then said he wanted the money that
had been taking from the ixvst-otliee department.
Howard responded by saying that he knew the in
spector???s position or he woulc. not submit to arrest,
and added, ???I have nothing to say.???
He then got up and accompanied the inspector
to Commissioner Buck???s office, where he gave bond
in the sum of Sl.OOO.his father becoming bis bonds
man.for his appearance to-dav at 10 o???clock, when
his preliminary trial will take place.
Inspector Frey says that he has enough evidence
against Howard??? to convict a dozen men. and that he
has no doubt about his ability to show where the
missing money has gone. He states that Howard has
been spending from ten to twelve times the amount
of his salary, aud that his life has been a reckless,
wild, dissii-ated one.
Howard, who usually writes his name William H.
Howard, the 3d, is a young man of about twenty-
eight yours, and has been in the Atlanta post-
office * for about three vents. He is a sou
of one of Atlanta???s leading business men,
but has not for sometime been on friendly terms
with his father. .He is a small man,
and has si good face, which lends him favor wher
ever he goes. He has, since his connection with
the Atlanta post-office, been a regular worker and
was greatly liked by all of his associates, who were
surprised at his arrest, but who knew that he was
leading a fast lif -.
About five years ago Howard killed a man in
McDuflee county, and his drinkiug was thought,
by those who knew him, to be due to this fact. At
that time Howard and two men were fanning iu
that county, aud the killing was the result of a
ouarrei about a division of the crop. For this be
was tried aud acquitted, and then came back to
Atlanta, where he has since lived. He claims to
be a married man, but this fact is doubted by
many, and denied by some of his friends. The
lady he claims to be nis wife resides on Houston
street, and there he made his home, though it seems
be was rather irregular in his visit.
inspector Frey is certain that Howard is respon
sible for all the losses that have occurred iu the
Atlanta post-office recently, but the amount
FORT VALL Y ON FIR .
Fitly Thousand Dollar* Swallowed:.Up by the Flame*
Fort Valley, December 22.???[Special.]???The lire
originated in the cook room of Byington???s hotel,
which was entirely destroyed. It was fully cov
ered by ir.sumuce. Brown Bro's. loss on stock was
eight thousand dollars, insnrance six thou ;
sand; M. L. and A. Cooper, loss three
thousand dollars, no insurance; M. Glass, loss six
thousand dollars, insurance three thousand dollars;
J. B. James, loss thirty-five hundred, insured for
two thousand dollars; Mrs. Sturgoss, loss fifteen
hundred, insurance seven hundred dollars; A. B.
Greene, loss fifteen hundred, iusured forone thou
sand dollars. J. W. Hardison lost four brick stores,,
valued at ten thousand dollars, no insurance. J. A.
Houser, one brick store, loss three thousand dollars,
insurance fifteen hundred. The aggregate loss is
fifty thousand dollars.
Columbus, Gu., December 23.???A special to the
iBCflSlJrer!.-???>>*oi}??-%fF;*
Valley, Ga., about 2 o'clock last night from the
cooking department of the Byingtou hotel. The
hotel aud a block of buildings were consumed,
The loss is estimated at ??.???>0,000 lo ??60,000; largelv
insured.
l'Ue following additional particulars of the fire
here are given: The fire originated in Byington???s
hotel kitchen and was discovered at 5 o???clock this
morning. The hotel, three stores and the dwelling
house of Mrs. J. L. Byington, were burned on the
south side of Main street, and seven stores on the
north side. Mrs. J. L. Byington???s loss is ??12,000, in
surance ??6.000; Brown Bros, loss on stock ??S,000;
insurance ??6.000: Nussbaum & Danncnburg,store
house. loss ??2.0.0; M L it A Cooper, stock ??3,000, no
insurance; J B James,stock53,000,insurance??2,000;
M Glass, stock ??6.000, insurance ??1,200; Mrs S L
Sturges, stock ??2,000, insurance ??700; A B Greene,
stock, 51,500, insurance ??1,000; .1 W Hardison, on
stock loss ??12,000, no insurance: Sommer Bros.,
Matthews, Greene it Co., M L Jones & Co, F C
Collier, Gray Bros, W E Brown, F C Hauser, ET
Byington suffer damage by tlie removal of goods,
but to what extent is unknown.
THE MYTHICAL MONEY
THAT LURED JOE JOHNSTON INTO
SAYING TOO MUCH.
Evid-nce Accumulating that the Master of Strategical
Retreat Will Have to Pall Back Again and Seek
a Stronger Position???Davia???a Pane Com
ing Out With Increased Glory.
A SCENE IN SCHOOL.
An Expelled Pnpll Cause* a Disturbance.
Shelbyville, Ind., December 23.???For some time
past Charles Gregory, a school teacher near Morris
town, this county, has b>en having considerable
trouble with one of his pupils, Add Anderson,
an overgrown boy nineteen years of age. Ander
son became so unruly that the board of directors
expelled him, and the township trustee, on an ap
peal, affirmed the decision of the directors.
Yesterday Anderson went to the school room and
raised a disturbance, greatly interfering with the
exercises. 'I he teacher admonished him to keep
quiet, but he grew more offensive, threatening to
whip the teacher, etc. Finally he was ordered to
leave the building, but this ho refused to do in in
sulting language. Gregory moved toward him for
the purpose of ejecting him. At this Anderson put
his hand iu his pocket as if to draw a weapon, but
before he could make a second motion Gregory
drew a revolver, shooting him iu the shoulder, in
flicting a very slight wound. Anderson, finding
that he had a man to deal with, left in hot rage,
with a vow; that he would return and kill Gregory.
This he attempted to do, but was intercepted by
another party before he again reached theju-iiool
room.
Mr. Gregory came to town late last night, and
put the casein the hands of T. K. Adams, but it is
not probable that he will ever be arrested, as he
was eutirely on the defensive.
lllch Old Time In New York.
From the Philadelphia Ledger.
New York, December 20.???The solemn old time
Amerieau or Puritan mode of celebrating Christ
mas is rapidly fading away before the picturesque
modes which of late vears have been imported
chiefly from continental Europe. Even the staid
commercial and financial exchanges, where, in the
exciting whirl of business and speculation, a genu
ine hearty laugh is rarely heard, have caught some
thing of the spirit of the Italian carnival and the
German ana French masques, and on Saturday
next, you may observe, they are goiDg to give free
rein to it. Novel effects are in order. At the stock
exchange, for example, they have arranged for a
grand revel, costing ??2,500. in which all the ???bulls???
and ???bears," youtigaad old, as well as all the lame
ducks, have agreed to be figurants, the more con
spicuous features of which are to be oratory, music
and dancing. There is to be no restraint of the fun.
Two thousand tickets have been issued for their
ladv friends in the gallery, nud to-day they are-hi
great demand. Mr. Jay Gould, Mr. Bussell Sage,
Mr. Cyrus 'V. Field, and even the sedate William
li. Vanderbilt has promised to look in. Invita
tions have been sent to ReV. Mr. Beecher and Rev.
Mr. Talmage. At the produce exchange the grain
speculators are arranging for something
of the same kind, including a brass band. Flour
and pork and ???corners in oats??? are to be forgotten
for the nonce, and tlie only thing In order will be
merriment in every phase posable under the cir
cumstances. The cotton aud maritime exchanges
to a certain extent will fall in with the prevailing
humor, and so far as ordinary business is concerned
Saturday will he substantially-a dies non. The
board of brokers will close at 11 o???clock. All this
may seem very boyish, possibly a trifle silly, yet if
it serve to take a few of the wrinkles out of .the
faces of the old and young boys who expect to en
gage in it the spectacle may be contemplated, per
haps, without making the ???judicious gneve.???
Johnson vs. Davis.
Louisville Post.
It will be found out Mr. Davis had about 52. and
not ??2.000,000 when captured, and it is not likely
his captors allowed him to keep that long. General
Johnston should be engaging Jn better business
than that of throwing out mean and unfounded
insinuations against a man whose integrity has
never before been assailed by any one. It is a piti
ful and spiteful bit of small business.
PI* Iron Steadily Advancing.
Pittsburg, Pa., December 24.???Gray forge pig
iron was advanced to ??26 per ton today. This is
an advance of ??1 in the last three days and 52.50 In
the past thirty days.
Any very deep seated public interest in the John
ston Davis imbroglio has not materialized in this
vicinity. There is very general indignation over
tlie publication of such silly and yet monstrous
charges against ex-President Davis, because
we have failed as yet to find a
single person who is willing to believe
them true in any sense. Even among the hundreds
of men iu tne city who fought in the union army
we hear nothing but rdgrets that such a controver
sy hr??? been made, and they express the utmost con
fidence in the personal integrity of Mr. Davis.
JGoy rnor Colquitt, who has just returned from New
Y???ork. -ays lie found every where among tlie.sou them
men- le most intense indignation over the affair,
ana ijie prevailing belief that, in this matter, Gen
eral .'uhuston has alienated the affections of the
southern people and ruined his chances of being
usefih to them hereafter.
General l^mgstreet, present United States mar
shal ; of Georgia, when approached on
the subject, said he kuew noth
ing. personally of the facts stated, and it might he
possible they were misquoted or exaggerated. He
fur: . .ci- said that, in a controversy, if lie had to elect
tob lieve the statement of one of the parties he
you'd believe General Johnston.
A prominent and able Georgian yesterday re
marked that the actions and talk of General
Join, -.bn in this affair looked very much as though
tho . oneral was preparing to make an effort to break
into the republican party.
General Toombs adds to his previous comments
the characteristic one: ???I will stake my life on the
lioiu ty of Mr. Davis, and if I ara mistaken, I will
give -iim a receipt in full for Georgia???s part of the
fund, and pay every man in the state at par who
claims a dime.???
??? What U. J. Muse* Hu* to Say.
E-jUiline Hill, near Columbus, Ga., December
21, i ??l???Editors Constitution: My attention has
been called to what purports to be an interview
with General Joe Johnston, and among other wrongs
Pi esident Davis is charged with having over two mil-
mions in specie unaccounted for. I know nothing
of the amount that left Richmond, because at the
time referred to I was in Washington .Wilkes county
Ua., acting as coniederate commissary for
the territory oi Georgia, but I do know that no
train of twenty wagons of specie ever reached that
point. The specie that reached there was deposited
in b??nk, and the amount at the time generally ac
cepted to he about ??300,000. More than $1C0 000 of
this v as claimed by aud paid over to an agent of
the Richmond bank. The cavalry that accompa
nied -lie president, quite a large number were paid
off according to my best recollection, about twenty-
five dollars each, the balance then currently esti
mated at about ??100,000 was carried in the wagon
train that moved with tlie president and a portion
of hi.- cabinet. Under an order from the secretari
al war I overtook the wagons at
night about two miles from Washington, and
recci red from the officer in charge bullion esti
muty d at ??40,000, with instructions to pay ??10,000 to
G.^iYftermaster general, and^to pay the balance
to some officer of file United States who would un
dertake to feed the sick iu hospital and ration sol
diers returning from General Johnston's army. I
paid ??10,CC0 to Lieutenant Wood by direction of
Major Febc Alexander, assistant quartermaster
general, and the balance I carried to Augusta, re
ported the fact to General Mollyneux, and upon his
undertaking to provide the hospitals and-
ration the returlng soldiers, i had
the balance of the bullion. silver
and gold, weighed out at the Me
chanics bank oi Augusta, in presence of the
cashier. Mr. Hatch, who is now, I believe,president
of the Trust company of Savannah, and by General
Mollynenx???s orders paid it over to (his provost
marshal. The balance weighed nearly ??35,000,
which, with the ??10,000 paid to the quartermaster
general made ??45,000 (and not ??29,000 as stated in the
interview) which was paid over to the undersigned.
These criminations of puolic men ns nearly con
nected with the confederacy as was President Davis,
arc very much to be regretted, and it may be hoped
fthat the interviewer???s??? report is os Inaccurate in
other particulars as it certainly is in reference to
the money paid out and received by me.
K. J. Moses.
Bentuyacn???s Development*.
New Orleans, December 23.???From Mr. Watson
A. Van Bentuysen, a gentleman connected with
the confederate treasury department, has been ob
tained full details of the surrender and the history
of confederate funds, which are fully developed iu
the following interview:
Q???I understand that you were in command of
Mr. Davis???s train on the retreat from North Caro
lina to Florida, and custodian of every thing con
nected therewith? /
A???In answer to the above I desire you to.
say that in consequence of the peculiar feeling evi
dently existing between Mr. Davis and General
Joseph E. Johnston, and knowing that the question
has reference to the controversy between those two
gentlemen, 1 have iu the presence of witnesses re
fused to answer any question on this subject up to
this time; and tiny I answer now only upon the
representation that refusing to do so might be. con
strued against Mr. Davis. 1 therefore answer that
I wasin command of the train. *
Q???1 have been specially requested to obtain from
you the fullest details aqd every thing which may-
throw light upon tlie allegations made by General
Joseph E. Johnston.
A ???State the questions you desire answered.
Q???General Joseph E. Johnston specially charges
that Jefferson Davis misappropriated ??2,500,000 of
confederate funds at the time of the surrender.
A???The allegation is so absurd that I cannot be
lieve General Johnston made it. The confederacy-
owned no such treasure at this time. General
Johnston had no personal knowledge of this train,
was not with it, and could not have known the
con tints of the wagons.
Q???At the time you were in command of the
train was there such an amount, or an approximate
amount, of funds on it, and did Mr. Davis appro
priate any- portion thereof? ???
A???The entire amount with the train when we
left North Carolina, where the train was formed,
was two boxes of specie tor expenses, one of which
had contained ??10,000 and the other ??24.000,together
with a bag of about ??550,000 in confederate notes.
Mr. Davis had no control over these funds. The
notes were destroyed, and the specie used for the
pay of officers and men, purchase of horses and for-
the 5 on ; **??? Yulee, ex-confederate senator of
Honda. in whose care 1 confided them: ???The
trunk of Mr. Davis was kept at my place in
Alachua (Cottonwood), and the two chests
were, by my directions, sent to the residence of a
friend near. W aide, about thirty miles from my
place, to whose careful charge they were commit
ted bv me. The negro cook you carried with you
gave information at Jacksonville of what had oc-
CHrred at my place, and General Vodges sent an
efncial with a detachmeut of negro soldiers to seize
the confederate property. The chests and trunk,
General Vodges told me, were sent to Washington,
AMONG LOOSE LIONS.
HE CANNOT COME
BUT HE IS FULL OF ADVICE FOR
THE GROWING SOUTH.
The Answer of Mr. Tilden to the Invitation to Attend
the International Cotton Exposition???The Tex
as People on the Grounds???Minor De
tails of the Attractions of the Day.
A Splendid Exhibition or Nerve by a Dealer In Wild
* llea??ts.
Mr. George Sanger, having engaged with
Mr. Paul CleveS; the proprietor oi tlie Porte
St. Martin theater, Paris, to supply eight
lions, two dromedaries and two elephants, to
appear in ???lliehe aux Hois,??? the lions were
brought to the theater. At 9 the next morn
ing the man in charge of the elephants, with
an expression of terror in his countenance,
said in a whisper to Air. Sanger, ???tlie lions
are out.??? ???\\ ell,??? said Air. Sanger, ???why
don???t you catch them? Where???s the keeper.
Macomb???? _ ???Don???t know, sir." Mr. Sanger,
taking an oil lamp, with a wretched, smoked
globe, went to tlie stage, and, after walking
about for a time, was heard to say, ???Oh, there
you are, are you???? and, looking over a trap
in the stage, he saw the big lion, Tichborne,
and presently- the other two came prowling
by. ???All right ; I will soon have them,??? said
Mr. Sanger. At this the big lion, as though
lie understood what was said, threw up his
head and opened his ponderous jaws, show
ing liis great tusks. Mr. Sanger took a heavy-
whip used by tlie elephant keeper, and with
this in one hand anu the lamp in another,
dashed into the cellar. The lions in
stantly- dashed off. Presently he was heard
to say: ???It???s all right: I have got one of
them.??? Mr. Sanger came upon the stage
and said the other two were concealed among
the broken timber and waste at the bottom of
tlie cellar, and that lie would have them .di
rectly. Several tried to persuade hint to fore
go any further attempt, ???What am I to do????
he answered; ???I have engaged to bring eight
lions here to appear in the ???liiclie aux Hots,???
and not to roam about tlie theater.??? At
this' moment something was heard to
fall. Mr. Sanger, leaving without saying
a word, went into the cellar again,
and after searching in vain for tlie lions for
some time, discovered that they had got into
the bottom cellar. They had t'allen a deptli
of twenty-live feet. ???All right, I have got
them; come on, come on,??? cried Sanger.
Thinking the lions were secure, some friends
descended, but they were only caught up in
a corner. ???Tiring up those shatters; bequick!???
was next heard; and seeing such bravery-
shown by Mr. Sanger, they plucked up cour
age, carried several shutters, and hemmed
them in. Then the cage from which they- had
so recently-broken being lowered, tlie capture
was easily effected. Tlie hunt was carried on
in the most calm and collected manner possi
ble, and proved beyond all doubt that there
was not tlie slightest fear on the part of Mr.
George Sanger, the modern lion-hunter.
RUNNING THE RAIL.
An Immense Scheme In Wyoming???A Florida Venture.
Jacksonville, December 23.???The Lengle interest
in the Florida Central railroad was to-day sold to
Sit 1 Edward .1. Reed, an English capitalist, who has
recently purchased two mllion acres of land lii
this state and who is reported to be negotiating for
a transit railroad from Fernaudina to Cedar Keys
This transfer gives Sir Edward Reed tlie controlling
interest in the Florida Central railroad, of which
he was to-day elected president.
Cheyenne. Wyoming, December 23.???The Central
Pacific railroad of Wyoming organized under the
laws of Wyoming and promoted all the officers of
the the Central Pacific railroad of California. Capi
tal ??13,000,000. The object is to build a road from
a point on the boundary between Utah and Wyom
ing to a point on the eastern boundary of Wyoming
on the North Union Pacific road, distance 450 miles.
Galveston, December 23.???A special fto the
News from Austin says the narrow gauge railroad
will be graded to Rusk.
No Longer New*.
Georgia Musical Journal.
We would like to compliment Tiie Constitution.
illy it is so good a paper that praise of it has ceased
o be news.
THE ???OLE MARSTER???S??? CHRISTMAS.
tion being captured by Wilson's cava&y. The
ance, or other treasury funds, passed on to Abbe
ville, S. C., by railroad.
Q???What amount, and what kind of money, was
that portion that passed on to Abbeville, S. C. ?
A???At Abbeville, by direction of General Breck
inridge and the quartermaster general, I was in-
stiucted to send to the railroad depot and take
charge of the confederate treasury funds, and to
move out that night in advance???the information
also being conveyed lo us that General Duke???s
brigade of cavalry would act as special escort.
Upon sending to the depot the forces there were
found utterly demoralized and unwilling that the
funds should proceed. These funds were, accord
ing to my instructions, ??40.000 in silver, in kegs,
and about ??90,000 in gold of foreign coin, taken
from the cars and plaeed in wagons at the depot.
Finding it impossible to move the specie wagons
to my train. I proceeded to Washington,
Georgia, the specie aiterward, following to a point
near Washington, where, under supervision of
General Breckinridge, the silver was distributed
among the various commands, each man receiving
about one month's pay. The ??90,000 in gold, I was
instructed, had been placed in charge of Captains
Semple and Thebault for conveyance to the trans-
Mississippi department, ufoi the site delivery of
which they were to receive 25 per cent. This gold,
l afterwards saw in the papers, was captured by the
federal forces. There was no property in the train
of any kind over which Mr. Davis ex
ercised any control, except his trunk and the two
last chests of confederate archives. There had
been several chests from which these two had re
ceived such papers as were thought most impor
tant to keep with the train, the others being left at
Washington, Ga. With reference to the disposition
ofthcselnow quote from a letter received from
BY SAM W. SMALL??????OLD St.???
I.
???Yer axes me what dis heah is, sah?
Well, hit???s nuffin?????? sah, but jes??? er coat???
Jes??? vvun ob dese long, gray, ulsty kin???,
Whar buttons close up on de th'oat.
I got hit ter fit on er fren???, sah,
An*. I???se gwine an??? wid my own han???
Ter wrop hit eroun??? de bes??? hart, sah,
Dat is heatin??? ter-day in dis lan???!
II.
???No, tain???t fer nobody whar???s kin ter me???
???Ccpt dis, sah, dat in dem ole days
???Fore de wall an??? ???fore freedum cum in, sah,
He wuz den my ???Ole Mareter??? always;
He wuz kin??? an??? ez jest ez er judge, sah.
An??? always done right by us all;
An??? he nebber fergot w???en twuz Christmas
Ter hab sumthin??? in han??? fer us all!
HI.
???But de wah an??? destruckshin cum on him.
An??? he loss all he had in de lan???.'
An - feeble, an??? freu???less, an??? weak, sah,
Had ter lib by de wuck ob hiz han???.
I tell yer de file???s bin er Hard ???un???
Dis keepin??? de wolf fum de do???.
An??? off???en he???z sed he???d gib up, sah.
An??? not try ter fite enny mo'!
IV.
???But I???d brace him up, sorter-like, sayin???:
???Dar???s better times cumin' ahead???
Jes??? keep on er peggin??? an??? prayin???
An??? nebber say die tell yer dead!???
An??? so, he'd keeptryiu??? an??? tryin???.
But he cood???nt keep up a strong lick;
An??? at las??? had ter gib up hiz weepon
.\n' lay down like a little chile, sick!
V.
???Den we dun de bes??? wuck in de wurl', sah.
Ter bring him ag???in ter hisse'f.
Ter keep his po??? body awhile heah.
An' keep in hit hiz ilickern??? bref;
But I seed him dis mawnin??? so po'lv,
So thin, an??? so pale, an??? so bar???,
Dat I jes??? tuck er holt on my hart-strings
An??? played ???em fer all dat wuz dar!
VLJt
So I???se tuck all de munney I???d laid up
Fer ter buy me my own Christmas gif',
An??? boughten dis coat, good an??? warm, sah,
Fer ter gib my Ole Marstera lif'!
I know he???ll be glad wid de cumfurt
Hit???ll bring ter hiz weakly ole frame;
While me????I kin skirmish eroun??? heah
An??? feel happy an??? rich jes??? de same! ???
' VII.
So went the old man on his mission
As happy as ever a king,
Hi.<heari beating holier music
Than ever a mortal can sing.
And though others may think that a nigger
Has never the gift of a soul.
He???s got something will pass for its equal
When Heaven shall call its last roll!
Christmas Eve, 1881.
New York, December 17, 1881.???H. I. Kimball,
Esq., Director General, Atlanta, Ga.???Dear Sir: In
ac Iordance with the request t>f the executive com
mittee of the International cotton exposition, ac
companied by the president. Governor A. II. Col
quitt, we to-day called on Mr. Samuel J. Tilden,
aud presented the resolutions sent him through
us. We regret to inform you that Mr. Tilden very
reluctantly felt it his duy to decline the kind invi
tation, although Governor Colquitt In person urged
him ou behalf of the people of Georgia to do so.
Herewith we hand you a letter from Mr. Tilden
addressed to your executive committee, which is
in keeping with his broad views, and which we feel
assured will be read with interest by all connected
with your ex-position. Congratulating you and
your associates on the success of tlie International
cotton exposition as it draws to a close, we are
yours very respectfully*
Robbkt Tannaihll,
John II. Inman,
M. B. Fielding,
Committee.
Mr. Tilden???* Reply.
Graystonb, December 17.???To the Executive
Committee of the International Cotton Exposition
at Atlanta???Gentlemen: I have had the honor to
receive your resolutions inv iting me to visit the In
ternational cotton exposition as yonr guest, and
designating Messrs.'Robert Tannahill, John H. In
man and M. B. Fielding as a special committee to
communicate them to me. I have also had the
honor of a personal presentation of a copy of tlie
resolutions at the hands of those gentlemen, ac
companied by Governor Colquitt, tlie president of
the exposition, and General Gordon.
It is with much regret that I feel obliged
to deny myself the great pleasure ten
dered me with such distinguished courtesy.
It would delight me to interchange friendly greet
ings with the citizcus whom I should expect to-
meet at Atlanta, and to avail myself of so favorable
an opportunity for observing with mv own eves tlie
elements of industrial growth which premise a fu
ture of marvelous prosperity to the southern states.
Above ali, 1 desire to contribute mv influence,
however inconsiderable it may be, towards encour
aging a movement to organize investigation aiuFin-
telligence concerning subjects oi vnst interest, not
to the south alone, hut to our whole country and
the world.
I may venture to hope that the public spirit
which created and has sustained this exposition is
not exhausted, but that the signal success
of this first essay will induce sim
ilar efforts, attract increasing public
attention to them, and secure for them wider co
operation and more perfect development.
The last lime I visited those islands, which were
the homes of mast of our aucestors, I realized what
a benefaction it was that lmd set in these heavens
a sun which is generally radiant and sometimes
blazing. It is what climatologists call the upward
curve in the hourly and daily tides of heat, which
inakt s our 450 million bushels of wheat a sure crop,
which ripens our 1,750 million bushels of corn, and
whieli enables us to grow six million bales of the
best and cheapest cotton.
The Invention which separates by machinery the
fibre of the cotton from the seed, gave a new com
fort to every fireside. Better clothing at less cost,
was a boon to mankind. The fact that one half
of the preseut cotton crop is the product of white
labor, has dispelled the illusion that the
Caucasian race had been excluded by providence
from their natural share in so important a culture,
and assures in the future an ample supply of labor
from sonrees of indefinite extent. This result de
rives momentous importance from the fact that the
actual culture of the cotton is now applied to less
than one thirtieth part of -the lauds embraced in
the cotton belt.
The development of yonr agricultural industries
will soon be followed by manufactures. Amatuie
community, while it is enlarging the positive
volume of its external commerce, increases the pro-
liortion of domestic manufactures which enter into
the local consumption.
The advantages of a superior adaption of climate,
soil, and other spontaneous bounties
of nature, and of a geographical con
tiguity to > the market, are a legitimate
protection to the local industries, founded on the
greatest productiveness of human labor m supply
ing the wants of man, and upon tlie utmost saving
in the cost of transportation between the producer
and consumer. It contrasts with the artificial de
vices of legislation, always unskilful, and often
perverted by selfish greed, which generally have
the effect of diminishing the productive power of
human lqj>or, just as if the soil were rendered less
fertile, or the elimate less genial by act of congress,
in order to enable the deluded beneficiary to make
some profit out of enterprises otherwise unremu-
rative.
The south is rich in natural capacities of produc
tion, as yet mainly unappropriated. To utilize
these capacities is a beneficent process. Its results
may come, not so fast or so soon as some may hope,
but I predict that when they do come they will in
their magnitude transcend the anticipations of the
most sanguine. Your fellow citizen,
. Samuel J. Tilden.
The Tcmperunbc People.
Yesterday was Temperance day at the exposition
and at three o???clock a meeting was held in Judges???
hall.
Director-General Kimball opened the meeting
with a short address referring to the numerous
meetings held in Judges??? hull and spoke of tho
temperance meeting as one of the most important.
No man, he said, felt more earnestly the importance
of the temperance cause. At the close of Mr. Kim
ball's remarks prayer was offered by ltev. V. C.
Noreross, after which Judge John D. Cunningham
delivered an able ami interestiag address.
Rev. Virgil C. Noreross, pastor of the Fifth Bap
tist church, was introduced aud addressed the
meeting as the representative of the ministry.
Judge Underwood was introduced aud delivered
an interesting address.
Mr. J. G. Thrower made a few moments??? talk.
Mr. W. G. Whidby introduced the following reso
lution, which was agreed to:
Resolved, That it is the sense of this meeting that
the executive committee of the state temperance
convention issue an address to the people of Geor
gia, and call a convention, to meet in Atlanta Julv
4th, 1882.
Several additional resolutions were also passed.
The meeting then adjourned to convene at the
cdpital last night, where a most interesting meeting
was held, and several pleasant addresses were
THE DEMAND FOR CANARIES.
Over One Hnndred Thousand of the Little Worbler*
Annually Sold In ThI* Country.
New York World.
The canary bird season is at present at its
height. T^e ???crop??? of birds raised in the
Hartz mountains is an abundant one this
year, and it is expected that the peasants
will raise fewer birds next year, In order to
put up the price. This week ordinary birds
are selling here at $13 a dozen. A little later
the price will lie raised to $24 and perhaps
higher as the seasori advances and th?? ex
penses of keeping the birds accumulates. Mr.
Reiche, who has catered to the public
taste for tigers, elephants?and the like, and
who has ten thousand canaries in ???
his shop now claims the credit of having edu
cated tiie people to an appreciation of the
canary bird, when lie began business, in
1347, Only 1,500 or 1,800 birds could be sold a
year. Now his annual sales reach 80.000, and
other dealerii sell 25,000 more. It is estimated
that at least one person in fifty throughout
tlie country has a canary bird. Mr. Reiche
also says that when he came here flowers
were rarely seen in houses, while now thenr
1 are frequently found, and he thinks that this
love of flowers has been, inculcated to some
1 extent by tlie taste for canary birds, for which
he claims credit. About 5 per cent of the
birds shipped from Germany are expected to
prove a loss. There is hardly any demand for
the finer birds, which in Europe sell for
casli or thereabouts.