Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

\ 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.