SOUTH AFRICA.

Grey River Argus, Issue 282, 2 November 1867, Page 3

SOUTH AFRICA.

The subjoined detaiiej|^f«riit^f'the late frightful tra^ed^|in "Oarthagena, in which two Americahs^vere brutally murdered and a third badly wounded, is from a moßt reliable source. President Gutierrez, arriving after the close of the revolution, was enthusiastically received at all points on the coast where' he happened'to land. In the course of three or four days, and after matters had been represented to his Excellency, lie saw proper, together with the President of the State of Magda? Lena, to depute from the national steamer Columbia two officers to yo as commissioners to the State of Bolivar. The officers selected for the mission were Lieutenants Doi-nin and Murdangh, accompanied by Lieutenants Borchert and Smith, who sailed by the steamer Tyne. They were known to the inhabitants of Carthagena, and were welcomed with the usual salutations as they passed up the street, making for their old rendezvous "The Bolivar Hotel," where they were most, cordially received, excepting as they entered, when a man named "Peneranda" remarked, " Aqiii menen los perros" suid ran away without beiifg pursued. This midnight assassin was the instigator of the bloody deed. It appears that these officers, only two of whom were armed, parted. Lieuts. Dornin and Burchert went to visit Mr Logan, an English gentleman residing in the town. The other two took different directions. Smith, after passing Mr Logan's and seeing through- the window his companions doing well, continued unmolested to the Bolivar Hotel and retired. In a shorh time Lieuts. Borchert and Dornin followed. Upon reaching the Hotel they encountered a. large crowd, who allowed them to pass, in, but upon their reaching the head of the steps the fiends below commenced firing upon them, whilst those above also made a desperate assault —a portion of the mob attacking the one and a portion the other So great was the force against them they were soon overpowered. Lient. Borchert was shot instantly, .one ball .passing near the heart, a Spencer rifle ball passing through the breast, and he received a gash from a carpenter's chisel about the groin. His liver was almost entirely cut out, and a sword, was plunged through his body. In the death-struggle he succeeded in cutting one of the fiemis with a knife which Lieut. • Dornin had pitched to him when first attacked. During the engagement with Borchert, Dornin received ashotontlie head, stunning him considerably, after which he managed to fire one shot, when a ball entered his left breast, below the shoulder, lodging ne.ir the shoulder-blade. He fell, but was instantly picked up by the good women of the hotel, hurried off and secreted. To these poor old infirm women he is indebted" for his life. And now a little distance from this scene, lay the dead and mutilated body of Lieutenant Murdaugh. He was attacked at the Club House by the same party. Some ladies did all they could to -save him but to no avail ; the demons were bent upon their designs. A large number of men were at the Club, among whom were many of the civil officials who might' have stopped it, but no — in thair hearts — they said go .ahead. Lieutenant Murdaugh was murdered in a manner which the most uncivilised Indian or barbarian might shrink from ; such as cutting him with knives, shooting him, and beating him with logs of wood. When sure that the breath had left the body, these starving wolves commenced to piunder.it, extracting from the pockets some five or six hundred dollars in gold, taking from the fingers the rings, and from the shirt the studs, and so the demons left him. About the time of the attack upon Lieutenants Borchert and Dornin, Lieiitei.ant Smith was in bed. He had gotten up twice, and saw from his window the crowd, firing, &c, but thinking that it was only a. drunken frolic, retired again, nor did he become conscious of what was occurring until he saw the bayonets glittering without at his door. An effort was made by the mob to gain entrance to his room, but they finally concluded that nobody was within and went off. Smith remarked that Providence bolted his door, because he had never done such a thing before In the course'bf two or three hours the American Consul, Mr Hamiaberg, arrived with a guard, which he succeeded in begging from General Cara£o, the President of Bolivar, and conducted those left of the party to the steamer Tyne, for which kindness they will for ever be indebted to him. The papers which the officers bore were delivered to the American Consul. I have understood that a freemason endeavored to save BorchertT* 1 do not know whether or not Borchert was a mason. He, as well as Lieutenant Murdaugh, were thorough and accomplished gentlemen? excellent officers, noble, generous, kind hearted companions and brave fearless men; They leave companions, shipmates, friends and relations, and all who knew them to mourn their untimely Vdeaths. " May their bones rest in peace," and their murderers receive their just reWard. ■'\The American Consul has had the good.rieiss to havejthe bodies decently interred inithe Protestant burial ground with suita-ble'head-boards. The steamer Tyne sailed from Carthagena^on the morning of the 2nd, bearing the survivors, who will. ever-. remember the kindness of her officers. She arrived at Asjlinwall on the. evening of the 3rd, when ;the surgeon of the Panama Railroad kindly performed the operation of extracting the ball from Mr Dornin. He is now doing.well.