LATER AMERICAN NEWS

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 527, 3 June 1869, Page 3

LATER AMERICAN NEWS

By the Circular Saw clipper Novelty, the Soutliem Gross has received Calif ornian papers to the 20th March. From private sources we learn that the great Pacific railroad, that will soon connect New York with San Francisco — the Atlantic with the Pacilic — is nearly completed. It has, in a southerly direction, reached to within 200 miles of San Francisco. It was expected that it would be opened during the month of May, when New York would be brought within eight days' distance of San Francisco. Alluding to this the AUn California says :— The Union Pacific Railroad Company have completed 1040 miles of thoir track, and the constructionists art? now fifteen miles this side of Ogden, laying track at the rate of two miles per day. Connection will be made by the two approaching railroad companies during the last of April or the first of May. Chicago, March 18. Washington specials say that the House Committee on Foreign Affairs considered the Cuba and San Domingo question, but , came to no conclusion. In the meantime the West Indian squadron is being heavily reinforced. The ostensible object -is to protect American citizens in Cuba, but it is well understood to mean something else. Should the revolution gain much further headway steps will undoubtedly be taken to recognise the independence of the island of Cuba by our Government. Secretary Rodwell has agreed to appoint a negro named Joubert for Assessor at | New Orleans. General Esp9des officially requests the United States recognition of Cuban indef pendence, asserting that he has 70,000 , troops in the field, and holds two-thirds of the island. Under the heading "South America," we find the following :— The Pacific Steam Navigation Company's fine steamer the Santiago, from Valparaiso, for Liverpool, ran on a rock iti the Straits of Magellan on January 25th, and sunk. All were saved except two sailors and a child. Many earthquake shocks continue along the Peruvian coast. The yellow fever prevails in Peru, and ! is very severe in Arica. Frequent earthquake shocks are reported in Chile. New York, March 18. Late letters from Brazil state that Lopez was steadily reorganising his army from the remnant of the old force, and natives who fled before the allies at Cerro Leon. He has issued a proclamation urging the people not to give up or despond. They believe implicitly all he advises. No natives are seen in the towns occupied by the allies. Ascension was completely sacked. Not even the houses of the foreigners were spared. EXPLOSION OF A KEG OF POWDER — SEVERAL PERSONS INJURED. One of those fearful accidents which now and then occur took place last night on the arrival of the steamer Chrysopolis, from Sacramento. The steamer left Sacramento at the usual hour, having on board the Emmet Guard oi that city, and the band accompanying them. It appears that some days previous two persons had applied to Captain Sheehan, of the Emmet Guard, for permission to bring down upon the same boat a small cannon. The request was not granted, but to the surprise of the officers of the Emmet Guard and those of the steamer, the two men and their cannon were found to be on board. During the passage down the gun was fired at frequent intervals. When nearing the Broadway wharf a keg of powder for the use of the gun — brought on board without the knowledge of the Captain or officers of the boat — was placed on the forward part of the main deck. The Emmet Guard were ordered to fall in preparatory to disembarkation, the band, of course, being in advance. The line was formed fore and aft, and as the parties in charge of the gun — which was placed forward of the upper deck of the boat — discharged it, the keg of powder was ignited from some cause unknown, and exploded. The sound of the explosion at once alarmed not only the passengers, but all who were waiting on the wharf. Upon inquiry, it was found that some sixteen persons were more or less seriously injured. — Alta California, March 20. WHOLESALE ATTEMPT TO TAKE LIFE. One of the strangest, most villainous, and cowardly attempts to take the lives of a whole family has, within a day or two past, been brought to light. The circumstances, as we learn them, are that several days since Mr William J. Turner, a wood, coal, and brick dealer, residing near the corner of Pacific and Drumm streets, went to a cask at the rear of his house, in which the water is kept for the use of his family. His atten tion was arrested before dipping the bucket into it by a white substance floating on the surface. He took off what he could of it, and was satisfied it was poison of some kind. He at once warned his wife and children not to touch the. water, and after a while poured it off carefully, and found a deposit in the bottom, which he scraped out and sent to a chemist. An analysis proved that the matter was strychnine, and there were three or four ounces of it found in the cask. Mr Turner yesterday morning was again startled ; on kindling a fire in the kitchen, and stepping out of doors for a moment, he heard an explosion of powder, making a tremendous noise, blowing the stove pipe into atoms, shaking the house, breaking dishes, &c. This second attempt to take the lives of this family was undoubtedly made on Monday night, the

party going on the roof of the dwelling, tying a small quantity of powder to a cord, and letting it down for some distance in the stove pipe, so that it would explode easily. Lm-kily, there waa no one in the room at the time of the explosion. The walls were set on tire, but were soon put out. Tho matter h;is been placed in the hands of tho police, who ■will fully probe it, and endeavor to bring the guilty parties to justice, as no reason can be assigned for any attempt to take the lives not only of this family, but also of others who either might drink water from this cask, or be injured by the tire. —Ibid. RE-INTERMENT OF WILKES BOOTH. Baltimore, February 16. The remains of John Wilkes Booth, tho assassin, were removed from Washington on Monday afternoon, and arrived here on tho same evening. An order was obtained on Monday morning, and J. C. Weaver, a well-known undertaker, proceeded at once to Washington, and disinterred the remains. They were contained in a plain pine box, two Government blankets being wrapped about the person. The original box, which was much decayed, having been rotted by dampness, was exchanged for a plain coffin. The remains were brought here as secretly as possible, and deposited at the wareroom of Mr Weaver. It became noised about that his body was here, and at an early hour this morning crowds of people began to assemble, all anxious to get a glimpse of the last mortal remains of the assassin. All were denied admission, however, until about 3 p.m., when the box was again opened, and the body, or rather skeleton, was transferred to a splendid metallic coffin. There was but little of the remains left, the flesh having all disappeared, leaving nought but a mass of blackened bones. Upon one foot was an old army shoe, and upon the other a boot cut open at the top. This covered the left foot, the leg having been broken in his leap from the stage box of the theatre after he had assassinated President Lincoln. The remainder of his dress consisted of a rough brown coat, black pants and vest, all of which were rotten and decayed. The hair all remained, and the silken curls of glossy black reminded one of tho handsome face which people once so much admired, but the intelligent face was gone. During the afternoon hundreds of people visited the place, and some were allowed to view the remains. After a short time it was found that the curious crowds had cut the blankets almost to pieces to get souvenirs. Many persons also visited Baltimore cemetery during the day, believing the interment would be made there, but came away disappointed. Mrs Booth and her sons, Edwin Booth and Junius Brutus Booth, will arrive here to-morrow, Avhen the body will be deposited in a vault at the Government cemetery, and in a few days will be secretly interred, in the presence of the family, at the Baltimore cemetery, beside the remains of Junius Brutus Booth the senior. There seems a disposition on the part of many people here to get up a demonstration, but the relatives of Booth bitterly oppose anything of the sort, and have arranged to inter the remains secretly, as above stated. The presence of Booth's remains has been the topic of conversation among all classes here, and has been the sensation of the day. A number of persons have contributed to defray the expenses of the re-interment of Payne, for whose remains there has as yet been no claimant. THE ALABAMA CLAIMS. The Alta California, of the 18th March, says : — "The telegraph sends us the rumor in relation to the views which Mr Snmner intends to present in his next speech on the Alabama case — namely, that England was responsible, not merely for the actual damages inflicted by the rebel cruisers, but for the destruction of our commerce and the prolongation of the war for at least one year — in a highly dramatic manner, in striking contrast with its usual colorless style of narrative. "Ah," said Mr Thornton, the English Minister, when the fact was mentioned to him, " this means war." " No," rejoined the French Minister, "not war — this means expansion of territory;" and these two sentences contain a full discussion of the whole subject. We are inclined to think that the remark of the French Minister was the more sagacious. If we should increase our demands on account of the conduct of England during the rebellion, no war is likely to grow out of it. Commercial people, as both nations are, do not embark in war for trifles. If anything comes of the new move it will be expansion of territory. MISCELLANEOUS. It is stated that several boxes of guineas, coined in the reign of George 111., have been recovered from the wreck of the British frigate Hussar, sunk in East River in 1784. The Herald says the war against the Administration has already begun, and urges Grant not to yield to a faction of Radical politicians, but stick to the appointment of Stewart, and make a fight over him, to test the loyalty in Congress to his Administration. The people will sustain him, and the President can rally all the Conservative elements of the country to his support. The Union Pacific Railroad has not declared any board of directors elected, and Judge Barnard has issued a warrant for the arrest of Oliver Ames, the President of the Board, for contempt. There were nine different fires in Chicago during the night of the 6th March, involving an aggregate loss of 600,000 dols. The alarms were almost constant during the entire night, and the greatest consternation prevailed. The weather was intensely cold, and the wind blew a gale. Fears were entertained of a general conflagration. The fires were not confined to any particular place, . but occurred at tho same time at every district. The firemen were completely exhausted with cold and fatigue. The bodies of four men, who fell with a roof into the fire on Canal street, were exhumed i ex t morning, buried out of the semblance of humanity. The Herald's Havana special says the insurgents propose concentrating their forces and establishing a seat of Government at Mayaroi or some town in the jurisdiction of Santiago. Aid is soon expected from Yucatan and other places. Advices from Neuvitas to the 9th March are received. The insurgent Representatives of Assembly for the Central department have decreed absolute abolition of slavery. Patriots, however, will be indemnified for losses of Blaves ; freedmen may become soldiers, or remain and cultivate the lands. The Evenimj Mail has. Cuban advices

via Nassau. General Lacos failed three times to make way to Puerto Principe. The insurgents each time repulsed him, with heavy loss. A large number of wounded have arrived at Neuvitas. The Tribunes Atlanta special gives details of the murder of Dr. Darden by the Ku-Klnx. After shooting Wallace, the editor of the Ku-Klux paper, at Warrenton, Darden siu/ender bunse'f, and was placed in gaol. The Sheriff, fearing an attack, asked several) of the better class of citizens to act as a posse to guard the gaol. They declined, being overawed by the Ku-Klux, numbering 100, who took possession of the gaol, and broke in the doors. Fearing Darden, who had a pistol, the cowardly rascals built a fire at the door and smoked him out. After giving him time to make his will, these savages barbarously murdered him in the presence of his wife and children, not less than 150 pistol bullets piercing his body. The Sheriff is now here asking protection for hi 3 own life. He is the only Republican Sheriff left in the State, since the assassination of the Sheriff of Richmond County. Warren County is the head-quarters of the Ku-Klux. The murders of Republicans have been most frequent ri that section. An American citizen, who was in the Theatre of Villanueva on the evening of the 22nd February, and witnessed the riot and massacre in the streets of Havana that evening, says that the origin of the outburst was the shooting of a young woman. He says: "A very beautiful girl, the daughter of Aldama, one of the wealthiest and most noble of all Cubans, wore upon her left breast the American flag, with the inscription, ' Long Live the Republic of Cuba ' upon it. When that stirring song was being sung, the whole audience rose and cheered this young woman, and as she rose t<» acknowledge the salute — all eyes were now bent upon her — a low, mean, cowardly Spaniard shot her with a revolver, killing her instantly. Two American gentlemen occupied the box adjoining the Senora Aldama, whose name I do not know, but one of whom, seeing the pistol pointed at the young lady's breast, drew his revolver, and, a second after the Spaniard had fired, blew the top off the head of the cowardly assassin. Instantly the whole theatre was the scene of the greatest confusion, and the Spanish troops'rushed in and began firing upon the masses of the huddled, unarmed innocent men and women." Advices from St. Thomas, under date March 7, state that the renewed efforts to consummate the sale of the island to the United States cause intense disgust among the inhabitants. The Governor of the island has forbidden the exportation of arms and mnnitlo- « during t 1 c war to Hayti, St. Domingo, and Cuba. Late news from Hayti say Salnave made an attack on Aux Cayes by sea and land, and, after bombarding for 24 hours without success, he suddenly sailed for Port-au-Prince. The land forces attacked the town simultaneously, but were repulsed. The rebel President Saget arrived at St. Manes. The rebels purchased the American steamer " Mount Vernon," and intend to make a demonstration against Salnave's fleet. The French Admiral reiterates the demand on the Haytien Government for the payment of the French debt. The rebellion in the southern and eastern portions of St. Domingo ia not suppressed. The. rebels there are very active. It is rumored that Baez has sent Fahens to Washington as special commissioner to treat for annexation. On Thursday, March 4, the rebel General Arago was captured, brought to Soqua, and shot. On the following Saturday the insurgents of the Eastern Department concentrated their forces at May nan. Troops left Savergo to attack them. A fight occurred between the colored volunteers and a band of colored insurgents in the neighborhood of Santiago. Seventeen of the latter are reported killed. The arres's continue. Three hundred and fifty additional troops have arrived. The cholera has entirely disappeared from the neighborhood of Santiago. The insurgents are burning plantations and scattering general destruction in the vicinity of Manzanillo and Santo-Cruz.