Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 8, 1877, Page 2

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: MONDAY, JANUARY 8 1877. .. - _ which were fluctontings he had to give long, credits and lost much by bad debts, while his real-cstate investments were not successful. 'The Astor family made its money slowly by real-cstate Investments and long leascs. Mr. ‘Vanderbilt's enterprises were in a different direction, and were more rapidly profitable, so that fn less timo comparntively than cther of the othera he nccumulated s larger fortune; but tnstend of belng worth $100,000,000 f¢ will be found that $60,000,000 {s abovo the actual * amount—tbat Is, I cver the truth Is known out- side of his fam(ly." 1t Is known that instead of dying intestate, as somie have supposed he would, for the very purposc of concealing the facts as to his wealth, hio has left behind a will earefully drawn.” * Dut this will tell nothing of the actual value of the grentest part of his possessiuns,—tho congotidated railronds,—which you may be cer- tdin be has left Intact in the hands of his son *Billy,' Thera will no doubt be amplo bequests %o his numerous other children and to his wife, and these may be named fo the will, but they will serve_only to ludicate what his eatate foots up. Last” year the Tax Com- missioners asecsserd him on unly about £200,000 =TItk it was something less than that—of real eatufe, aind on£,000,000 of persotial nrop: erty. The last was not so muchas it should bave been. Hia lawyers took no steps to have ft reduced, a8 lhuf certuinly would bave done 10 1t had been too large. But further than these fizres tho Tax Commlssioners’ buoks ean tell nothing." ‘ ~ Following s a st of Mr. Vanderbiit'a real and personal estates un which ho paid taxes for the year 1875, taken from the ofticiul record Ward, Bowling Green, 1L Cortlandt street.. XV, ¥ouny t, b2 eot) ‘outt Fourth strect, Fourth strect.u, .. st Washinglon pla KVIIL Twenty-sccond street.. - $ 170,000 Personal estate, 1875, cuusssserserincess 1,800,000 4 Total... o veee-2.81,076,000 * The real estate owned by the Iudson River Rallrond Company appears on the tax-book as valued ot $360,200. TUE WILL, ‘Those best acqualnted with the conditlon of the Commodorc's affairs have been Jmpressud by the scrupulous care with which he always kept them fn a shapo aultably prepared for his death. Unllke most men of a methodical turn of mind and poseesacd of scif-carned fortuncs, ho never shunned the thought of tho possibility of asadden decease, and although mm{;cnm by the constant growth of his wealth and by the minnner in which he invested 1t to frame new wills at short futervals, be always performed the duty with cheerful reudiness, taking the utmost pains torender the testaments })lfllll and explicit, and above all Jega) quibbles, It was always his Intentlon to keep his affates arranced ju such & way that bis death should have no effeet upon 1hé raliroads with which lic was connected, and that they should pass quictly futo the liands of his fmmediato helrs, aud still bo the * Yander- Bilt roads,” as they lind always been. When, five months ago, Cominodore Vander- bilt first becane satlstid that his bed of paln ‘Was to be a death-bed, he fiminediately sct about. insking his_ prepurativus_ with the utmost coolness_and preciaion. Day after duy ho consulted with his lawyers, signing his name where It was nceded, and exhiblting murvelous clearness of mind, shrewduness, and Soresight when chgucllu}ml tangled questlons. Auewand final Just wilf and testament was drawn up and nttested, the contents of which ars ot yet madc public, but which. it 1s under- 8tood, is one of the most perfect instruments of the kind ever made. Une of Commodore Van- derbilt's lawyers expressed the confldent opine fun that publicity would prove tie Commodare’s affairs to bo In the most wdmlirable condition. Ho was not conversant with the whole of them, Lut he felt cortaiu that the system which had ruled those with which Lo was acquaiuted was carried out through them all. VANDERSILT TUE VAN, AMr. Vanderblit had o mnzniticent constitu- tlon. 1lis frumo was strong; his atature six Ject. 1o was s handsome old man; his com- plexton clear, hls leaturea clear-cut, lis nose anuiline, bis whole face strong and expressive. Yle drossed plainly, but bad o sbnormal fonduess for white cravats. A tremendons worker Lialf o1 his life, he had short busincss hours in ol Cuze. Il kept away from the diu of Wall street, and was his' Fourth etreet office not more than four or five hours a day. Ia would never “ulk busimgss™ out of busincss hours, He wag a good liver, but not o high one. Wood- cock, Bpanlshinackerel, and vensjon were favor- dte dishes, and Burgundy and Veuve Clicquot werg his cholee wines; but he was too iicrect to bocome the victim of dyspepsia or gout, 1 don't stufl1” he exclajned ono day, when he ‘wus congratulated upon his remarkablo health, 1is filing health auring his lutter years led lin to he very abstemious In hts habits, 1o drapk wine very sparingly, but was foud of his L’f)filr to the last. uring the past twenty-five years ho has Iived in o unpretentious brick louse In Washington place. The house1s built of red brick, with plain brown-stone l'olpln;:l, and has four stories and u basement. Itiswhat is known as a “double house,” covering two lots, and a mod- est brown-stone portal ol medimn helzht marks the niddle of the Louse-front, ‘The interior of the house is plulnly and comfortably furnished, ‘The only plece of statuary of any Ivreumluna 1s A bust of “the Commodore by “Hiram Powers, ‘The pictures on the walis arefew and ordina. 1y, The Commodors mever fnvested much money in booke, Ills mental foree, which re- mnained ahmost unimpaired, he held iy reserve Tor his business and whist. Bunyan's *Pit- Rrim's Progresa " wus his favoriio Look, and ho somctimes carrled it with bim whon hoe had a lony y belore him, He was filiterate,and could not write & note o five liney withouf bo- traying fgnorance of grammar and spelling- book. " e clung to old " turniture and old ear- pets mainly for ussociation's sake, and when his sccond wite suggrested new tittings and frescocs he wus inclincd to argue the point, but finally ylelded gracefully. HOHSES AND CANDE, He wos morc lavish of his mouey on hia sta- bles and horses, which were Kept on Fourth street back of Lis house, ‘Ilio entrance to his heart, as many of his fuvorites who were wise in their generation found out, wus through the stable door. Al bis life long he loved Gorses, Ia his stable he slways had hulf a dozen of the fastest roadsters in the country. After Mr. Bonner he was perhapa the greatest hurse-fun- der on the Island, Among his best horses bave bLeen Post Boy, Plow . Hoy, Moun- taineer, Mouutain Boy, Mountain Girl, Doctar, and Flving Datchman, In his present stable aro Mountain Boy, The Hoy, Princess, and Rob Roy. Motuntain' Hoy wos his favorite horse. Ouie of Ll lust pur- chpses was Simall Hopes, n horss which gave promise of greut apewt, Ile wus frequently seen driving in tho Fark and through Ilarlem lane, On wrorting duys at Fiectwood Park ho Itked to appear on the course with his tinest temn between beats. Ile passed ruch of his time {n his stable among Wtshordes, grooms, and stahlemcu, When he was unable (o drive ous he would order his men to the his favorite horses outside of the stalls, and would sit by the hatf- hour wsluhlnF thein, Ho wasas fund of cards us was Talleyrand. Prior to his second marrfage lic was a member of thres soclal ctubs, {n which whist was rerzard- ed a8 the greut socind duty. He lirst joined the old Racket Club, nnd when it was braken up by became a tueiber of the City Club, und finally united with tho Manhattan Club, = After nls . sccond marrlage he becamo more domestle In his hablte, und was scldom secn st his club. But the Saratoga five-point euchre parties flourtshed all ~ the ne fn o July sud The Buratoz 4 A stranger was ecldom into the game or alluwed to watch {ts progre<s. Commadore there were usuall, “heoter V. Cha “j b Busides the at tho cuchre sldent of the Bus- Vanderbilt, and Mr. Peabody, ot Ph The *ante™ wua always §1, ihd, owj ceulfunitica of the gume, it ently isppenied thut theré were fr &0 to in the pool, n “march” be- ing the only play that’ would secure the stakes, Underthese circumetances the Cown- modore and Mr, Huody fell juto the habit of H]n{(m: worthless hunds when it was thele uext eal, or, {u uther Words, making u recklesy vens ture'to linprove their ciances of getting deal before the stakes were captured by somehody elze. To Puv. an cud to thieae tactics, a penaiy ©f 85 wus luipused if thy person playing & wortli- lces Laud failed to talic two tricks, utid $10 it he did nut secure a glngle trick. The Commo- dore usually piayed with cuution and |Emud Judg- ment. An illustration of his fonduess for a social gune of cards was brouiht out o few years Agoata Coruners fnquest over the bodics of the victima of the disaster on the Hudsen lver Rallrosd. The Commodure bad been subpanacd, and appeared in no very good wpints at being sungykd sbout a watter uf which be had uo [T gowledge wud could give uo cvis dence, and 30 expressed lmscll. The Coroucr asked him if he had not beca fuforimed of the disaster. “Yes,” muswercd the witncss, “the conductor telvgraphiod fur pbyslciass b0 ald the wounded, and tho diepateh was eent tomy bouse,”” ¢ What did you do about {t3" “Idid notbing,”* he answercd; “it camo when I was engaged at whist, and Inever allow business to Interfere with the game.” Mr. Vauderbilt was a man of few words, Tho lettera which he dictated to his clerks were models of bueineas tersences. Ho never made public speech. When he was in London his health was givenat a banquet, and there were Toud calls for nspecch, ¢ Gentlemen," sald he, 1 have never inade a fool of mysclf {n my life, dnd I am not going to begin now. Here fs africnd of mine who can talk ail day. Ile will do my epeaking,” The friond was his lawyer. He'noy only kept out of politics, Lut he stayed away from the polls, Twice in his long 1ifa ke voted. RELIGION—CHARITT. Tle always evinced great reverence for the Bible. 1lé apoke of Christ as “our Sasfor," and although never a member of any churel, he frequently attended religious services. His fa- vorite hymn was, * There Is reat for tho weary." He wns easily affected by evlemn and pathetic passages in 4 hymnn or sermon, aud on such an oceasfon never minced matters, but wiped tho tears away with his hand, like an old Captain on the hurricane deck with sait in bls eyes. Pro- fanity was a habit with bim, acquired in the days'when oaths were an essential element fn the steamboat buiness, As an instance of this, ho was telling a u'.nr{ about ghls mother, ~ant he alwavs loved to talk about lmr,—-ml rald that he surprised her one day, when he wae the proud owner of his first steamboat, by taking her on board and showing her a magnitl- cont feast which had Leen spread in the cabln. ‘The Commodore's words were: * Mother said, * Cornell, where the d—1 i you get that din- neri’” " The astonished listener broke in: “\Why, your motherdidn't sayany such thing; » but the [’ummudum again placed the oath In his mother's month, and only noticed the in- terpellation afterhis attentlon had been directly called to It, At one time the first Mrs. Vanderbilt's pastor endeavored to inflnence her husband’s character 10 tleeds of benevolence, Mr. Vanderbilt manl- Tested some finpatlence, and finally handed his visitor a free ticket by n stcamer to the West Indies. And that wastheend of it. A sub- scription paper atways fnflamed bis jre. He pave cight acres of land to tho old Moravian Church on Staten Island, where bls paronts had wor- shiped. o also made free gift of the Mercer Street Church, worth #50,000, to_Dr, Charlea F. Deemss, on whom he settled the nm{mrl for 1Ite. The principalactsof munificence which have wnrked his long carcer were the gilt of the steamship Vanderbilt to the tiovernment during tire War, and the milllon which hie addel to the Endowment Fund of the Vanderbilt Unlver- sity at Nashsille, Tenn. One of the conditions upon which this gift was made was that lllxhar MeTyetre, of tho. Metliodist Episcopal Church Smll{l, should becotue President of the Board of Trustees, A plot of seventy-live acres was bouht, the corner-stone was 1ud [n_the apring of 1574, and on Uct. 4, 1875, tho {nstitution wus opencd. It now hs over 300 students. Tuition 14 freo In all departinents to those wha are pre- aring for the mintstry, This is the veieran tinuncier’s greatest monument., THE VANDERNILT FAMILY, In 1813 Corneliua Vanderbilt, thea only 10 %‘ur! of age, married his second cousin, Sophia Jolnean, who was ono year younger. The Taniily tree which has sprung from thils paront stock has nuumerublo branches, and the Com- modore 18 auld to have been very proud of it He had thirteen children by bis first wife. Ho was equal to tbe task of enumnerating hils grandehll- dren, but did not know all of bis great-grand- children by name or sight, This larce fapily 1s for the most part Ilvlnff In New York, The song-In-Jaw have In most instances wado them- scives rich by their uwn thrift, which ha: stronely encouraged by those habits of fr ity and love of Independencs which, us strong traits of the Commiodore’s ciaracter, were also transmitted to his daughters, At the telebra- tion of his golden wedding 150 descendauts amil relatives assembled. ITe gave his wife n beaut!- ful little steamboat with musical works I place of machinery. The first four children were daughters. Pha:be dano married J, M. Cross, and now, at the oge of 63, I8 lving with her husband in Twenty-third street. ‘They hava presented the Cowmodore with four grandchildren, Ethetiinda marricd D B. Allen, of New York. e was In company with Comiinodors Gurrikoa in the i buat business, and when he sold out his t0 bls purtner he retired on half a mill- liey have mx cutldren, Elizg, the thrd chlld, morried Me. Osgood, the broker, ‘They aro childiees. Emlly marricd W. K. Thorie. They have four children, and Mr. Thorne s iccounted a millionalre, ‘Flic next ehl'd was u boy. He was the Comimno- dore’s pet while u chilil, and his great hope and mahi rellance fn - business affulrs when the gon grew up after the liking of the father. The Commudure called his sun Billy, and _has never exchianzed the diminutive for the Willlun 1. Vuudcrblit for many years past familar to the ublicear. For twelve years past Willlam 11, anderhlity who s 55 years of age, ns Vico-Pres. fdent of the Now “York Central Hallroud Compauy, hus Leen the guardian of mauy of the Commodore’s rallrond interests, Ife marrled u daughter of the Rev. Mr. Kiesanr, ‘They have eeven children, and three of the daughters are married. 1lo has always been rewarded as the heir of the Vanders bilt ruilroad prestize. Sophla was the pnme of the fiest of the three daughters who followed the first son futo the world, St married Dane fel Torrance, who comes of a wealthy Montreal fainlly, und his lxrl\‘lllu fortune I8 erthmated at bewween %1,500,000 and §2,000,000. e hus beets w successful - operator, and Jives fn o manslon on Flfth avenue. Mary Loufse mareed the Tawyer, Horacs F. Clark, who dled sudidenly i 187, Mr, Clark oper- ated extensively in rallroads, and was supposed to fiave feft bis widuw o fortune, It i3 suld now, however, that te left his offalrs deeply fnyolved. Marla Elels marrled Nicholas e Tt Who, Aytns, Jeft ek with Lvounughters and & lurgy property. Tho next was & son, nod a8 named Cornelius, Jr. Francis died unmac- rled, alter belng an invalld for forty years, His younest son, Capt. Gearge Vanderblit, one of the fineat uthletes that ever pussed through West Polnt, who on s “ 24l birthday conld Hft 900 pounds, derved 1n the War, but during the Corinth campalgn contracted o discasu which proved fatal in 1506, Thuy Cummodory’s last child and-daugnter becamy Mme. La Fitte. M. La Fitto did hualtess in New York for severul years, and then removed to his native country,” ‘They are now living in the south of France.” The fainily vault {5 ncar the old Moravian Church, on Staten Island, It s capped by o lofty shait, and fu front of it there 1s u stutue of e, THE COMMODOKE'S SECOND MANRIAGE, Commodore Vatuderbili's flrst wite died In 1507, During the summer of 1803 he marrled Misn Frank Crawford, who was about 30 years of awe, the Commmdore then befng” in hbls 5th yeur, Miss Craw- ford's father waos o well-1o-do plonter and uer- chunt, w camg’ of a Virginia tamlly, 1o moved tu Mublte, Ala, whera Miss Crawford was born. The Wur mude serious furoads into the Crawfonl estute, and shortly after_Its close Mr, Crawford died. Enrly in 1500t widow and her daughter Frank moved to N&v York, They beeae members of tho Church of the Strungers, dn Merver street, of which the Rev. “Dr. Charlea F. Deems I pastor, A distant relatlonship was found to exist hotween Mrs. Crawford und the Commodore, Her mother was a Miss Thund, und the Commodore's mother was also u Hand, The mothers were first or second cous- fus, "The relationship jrave rise to visiting and futercottrse between the two famflivs, amd the Commuidore becane enumored of the duughter, During the summer of 1555 the Commbdore P:.M hils usual visit to Suratora, but this timohe had suinething more romantle on his mind thun the waual cambalgn of five-polnt cuchre, Miss Frank Crawford'was slsoin Saratogs.” From what the Commodors Las suld to ac- quaintances, it would appear that he made up s mina to the new al- lance suddenly and brought b about with thy suditenness unid und deterwination whieh char- ucterized some of hls railroad exploits. The Commodore bas sald that when he ** popped the estion,” Mlss Frunk suld she would huve bimy i1 Dr. Deems coutd bo found to perforin the ciony. — The Commodore immediately York for Dr, Deems, but the ¢lerpzywan bappered to be out of town, ana the Comnedore, bating, us usual, to let' uny- budy Luow whut he was about untlt his plans_were consunmated, decided nat to uphie search for Dr. Deems, He amd s youny bride, without exvittug uny curi- oslty nt Barutoga, wade a rapld trip uver the New York Central Rafiroad to Canada and were murred by a youne Wesleyan mmlster in the City of Lowdon. ‘The Commodore, in speaklng of his weddlog Jouraey afterward, sibd: Aidn't want o raise 8 notse fu the United States, 50 1 slipped over to Canada aud had it done fn o 141!;. and I guess the Koot waog welt tied.” Mrs, ‘rank Crawford Vanderbilt has oue brother, who §s in churze of a (reight department of the New York Central, Mra. Crawford has formed a part of the Come modore’s fumlly sinco the marrage of her caughiter. It {s told of r, Deeme, thut one day diniug with the family he und the Commo- dore feli to taikiug with some fevity about the recent marrlaze. “8ald Dr. Deems, nmlulufi- to ady Mrs, Crawtord, ¢ Commodore, this s the you vught to kisve married.” 40b, uo," kald the Cunmodore, regardinz his mother-in-law with a luok of satisfuction, *if 1 warricd her, Frank would buve gone off :,lltll!:I‘I,A!riEd somcbody ¢lse, Nuw I baye them oLl VANDERDILT'S BBCEET OF BUCCESS, Mr. Vuuderblt was asked one dsy what wos the recret of his auceess In business. ¢ Seeret! ‘Thera Is no sccret about it. Al you bave to do I to attend to your business and o nhicad.” At another timc he safd: ' The secrot of my auceess Ia this: T never tell what 1 am golng to o til I hiave dono it.”” This was nearer the mark. Tle kept his own countel and never be- trayed his best friend,—himself, 113 PASTOR'S VIEW OF NI The Rev, Dr. Decins, In conversation with » Tritune teporter, sahl Mr. Vanderbilt's death had been an often expected, and fo frequently averted, that it finally came upon him like a freat suspriee. He could searcely renlize that s old friend had gone. 1 have scen Min, Te rald, “every day but eight since tho 20th of Iast April.” 1 favo reen more to admire In him during his alckness than when he was well, e must havo been a vory great man, for like nyll thinga truly great, he grow nd grew upon vne's regand, Thave never known a grander man, e could comprehend so much 8o quickly. He had o much vigor and daring, and jet he possessed perfect womanly tenderncss, and n matters of faith he had the simpliciey of o Httle enfld. I have not heen able ™ to find that he has mado a algle com- plaint through his long rlckness, At ita bezlunlug he was nervous and (rritable, mud sometimes—as ho would say—‘ugly.' 1 have gone Into Iiis room just after & mrUX{Am of pain, and he has takest_my hand, burst ioto and exelaimed, * Wil Goid forgive e that | have been s bad and ugly toward people who have been fo falthful to me?' Even then he never prayed that the pain be taken from him, but wotikl often pray, *Oh "N‘v' do not take It away f it is ncecesary for me,' " PROPANITY, Tv the Etitors af Neic York Ecening Port: Tho olt Commlore who has gone had, like all men, his virtues, his faults, and Iie pecaliar- Itles, which s partook of virtues and faultathat they couldd hardly bo distingulshed. He pever attempted to disgulse bis language with con- ventional delleacy, and {€ he had veeasion to swear, which he Trequently ald, the swearlug wns done with an ore rofunde wiich espised feeble imitations, o never mildiy called the devll ¥ the deure,” nor man a “darned " foul, Nor diil hie hesltato to express himself cinphatl- y_when couversing with ladies. ¥ntering hia ofilee one day I found him recelving visit from a fashlonable Jady whom after a while he politely bowed out from the door, addiug to his farewell as sho descended the stepss ** Before o comme back take that d—d bump ofl your back.” In fact this °«§l"°""’ language wis as natural to the Commodore as if he had been born in Marhichesd. His yachting expedition to Europe in his steawcr North Star witl be remenibered by many. Bhe was commanded by Capt. Aesa Eldrldge, who was afterward fost with all handa in the steamship Pacific. Before leaving the harbor the North Star ot aground, and the old Commodore, with his wsual bluntncss and straizhtlorwand honesty, salil to the reporters: “[on't put the biame on Capt. Eliridge or the pllot, but say it was owing to my d—d Interfer- ence.’ On that vovaze Dr. Choules, a late well known and excentrle but excellent Baptist cler- yman of Newport, R. L, acted as Chaplain. Meeting him after thelr return, [ asked him how he ot on_with the Commodore. * Perfretly,” he replicd. “There waa discipline on hoard that ship, sir, and you know how important dis- dipling fe. _Each tman attended to his own busl. neas—the Commodord Akl the swearing and T did the praving. Ho we never disagreed,” Vanderiilt ‘was enall in small things as ho was great in great enterprises, Ile was accus- tomed to carry his cigara In s alde packet, Rud when a well-meaning friend who had observed this hablt presented bim with a boaut!ful clrar- care, the Cominodore declined the gift, vhsory- Ing: %It will be too expensive for me. When 1 take It out fuil of clgars everybody around mo will expeet me to offer them Gno, but when I take one out of oy Pockc!. they won't know that thero aro any Jeft.” CRIME. THE AVENGER'S BULLET, Spectal Correspondence of The Tridune. Des Moises, In, Jan, 8.—Tho details and facts In the shootiug affulr ot Keosauqus, on Tuesday last, ure ns follows, guthercd from parties residing there and other rellable sources: Mal, C. 11, Fletehier was a resldent of Fulrtield, wherehe had a wife and family, e became interestod fn the narrow-guuge rallrosd which was belug built from Fort Madison to Keosau- qun, and temporarily made his headquarters at the latter place. He wus a rollicking, jovial fellow, and somewhat crratie, While there he formed thoe acquaintance of Miss Lizzie Brown, an sccomplished aud reflned youne lady, who was very popular fn soclal circles, as wero also her relatlves. Thls ucqualntancs ripened into inthnacy, and resulted in the seduction and ruln of thie wonian. She came to this city last epring 10 visit fricnda, of whomn she had several, who ave fier cordfaf welcome. While alio was hero “Jetehier vislted her, and suddeuly they left to- gether, and, it appeare, went to 8t. Louls, whero #he gavo birth to a child, Soon after that Fleteher deserted her, leaving her at & hotel, without money or frlends. Bhe, to save ler friends from thie shamo of her disgrace, refused to pgive her uome or uny account of hersell, Meanwhlle, her “fricnds wero In scarch of her, and finally. with the ald of the police-force of "8t Louls, her whereabouts was discovered; and, when she bud sutllefently recovered from her sickness, which came wear being futal, she was remove 1o her home. The matter wus 1ald before the Grand Jury at the August term of the District Court for Vun Buren County, and an indlctinent returned seafust Fleteher, ™ fle gave ball and tho case was continued to the next terw, The case was to come up_un Monday last, and Fletcher was present. On Monday the wonian's rother Jobn, who 1ives o whort distance from Keosauqun, was 11 tuwn, purchased a revolver and cartridges, aud went home, The next da; he returned, with Lls elster, Loth huving heen' summoned a3 witnesscs. The ease was called, and o change of venuc asked and granted to Malaska County, and tho partics :ugumled.—l!ruwn wolnie to an ofllee near by, and Fletcher remaine ing in the Clerk's ufiice o uttend to other inat- ters In court. Brown, in conversation anout the cose, was deeply moved, exhibited a great strugele to controb bis ematlons, and salil the outrage was burniug into his very brals, and he was golng howme. 1{e bad uever seen Fletcher, or al lenst wus not certatn he had, About tius time Flercher passed from the Court-llouse to the Clerk's oftlve, whlch was stated ta Urawi, and Brown went ta the oflice, and, walking up to Fletcher within o few feet, asked, “1s this Mal. Fleteher!" The reply was, * Yes, air.”? In. stantly afterthe words werespoken,a bitllet went crashing through hls ile rected and fell, uid Jife was extinet in thres minu Brown ed to go away, but was N(npq.ud by it when bu remarked, * 11e knows evidently not supposlng he bad inflicted o futal wound, “f{o was urrested on n Coroner's warrant, and licld to ball In the sum of $3,000, which he furnished and was released, — MRS, CREIGIITON'S CRIME, Curt ecpondance Cinclunitt Knquiree, Laxcastzn, 0., Jau, 4—Mrs. Funule Crefgh- ton, the woman who killed her husband near Lithopolis, Bloom ‘Fownship, thls county, lust Tucsduy morniug, was brought to this city, n the custody of the authorities, kst evenlug, and lodged in full, Iler verston of the homicldo fs matertully diferent from eeveral accouuts that havo already been published. Bho ststed that she had been mared twiee, the frst tme to one George Garlund, of Rich- mond, Va, in which Btate her relatives reside. Ous ¢hild, o son, wow 13 yeurs of nge, was tho result of thls wulon. ° In 1874, alter the death of Gurlund she came to thiy county to settle the estate of an Insane aunt, who wus sont to the County Intriury juat be- fore her arrival, In Columbus sid et aud warrled Henry Crelghton, un old bachelor, (0 years of age, dnd with him settled on o swall Turt hear Lulmlmm, the scene of the Llvody tragedy, She dved ' happlly with bim until within' the last year or wo, when ho beeamo strongly wddicted” to Intuxteating liguury, und, in the crazy freaks lucldent to this deplorabl, lubit, he tnde her Hfo vne of abject mbsery and tevpor, fEis conunonest pastine, according to her etory, was chasug her uhout the form B u butcher-knife “or revolver, aml knocklue her down with chairs, throwing Nier down-stulry, and other little pleasant- ries of w elmilar vature, He kept her out of duors for whole days und nights together, without a b ( food, antd imade thele hoiue u licil of the first water, On ‘Tueaday tast hie came hotnie from his work In a blind drunk, uud concluded Lo cap the climax of th infe- Heltous contract by killing e, Accordingly he sturted for Lier, pstol i hand, lring &t her three times as sho sled, but, fortunately or un- fortunately tor the wouisn, as the ease may dld not suceced tn fnjuring her. She ot den ran up-stales and soueht to conceal hereelf, but he folluwed ber up, und, secing that he had possessed Ldmeclf with ui us as u surer weapon of extinguishinent, shy Jouked wbout ber for some weapon of defense. Her eyes fell upon wdruggisi's wortar standing {n the coruer, und, scleing the pestle, whe threw it at bim, but it flew wide ot its mark, and Ahen, s ho still cumic on with upralscd cleaver, whe Rurled the ortar st iim and Kuocked him down. St wus falrly crazy now with fright, and a8 she saw hlty endeavoring to rolse, she rusped a nall-puller, sy fron lnstrument weigh- g tve pounds, uud threw itot bim, 1L struck Lim on the turehiead with trewedous force, sud tears | knocked him hoatly down the stafrs, Fearing that he had been killed, sho hurried below ant informed hicr little son as much, and togesber atarted for the mnearcest nelghbor, Mr. Creighton Elecy, a nephew of the munlered man, They met Elsey coming from the stock- sard, and Informed "him of what had taken place, and on entering the house he found Henry Crelghton a corpse, Iying at the foot of tho stairs I o slckening pool 0f blood. Mra. Creighton denics most positively that there {8 anything out of order with her men- tally, and axears that tho deed was done in feli-lefense alone. Her preliminary examina- tlon biefore "Squire Morehart broughit nothing new to light, and the woman was bound over to Court in hieavy bonds, The Coroner's jrry re- turneld a verdict charzing her with the death of hor husband, without mentloning any extenu- ating circumatances; but when the case comes before tho Common T'leas Conrt we fear the de- fendant will be found a conflrined manfac, plichse St A MURDERER'S ATYEMPTED BUI- CIDE. Special Correrpondence of The Tribune, 81, Joserity Mo., J.n. T —~The attempt which Franklin Brown made, on Weuneainy night, to commit suiclde, fn his cell n the County Jaily has created considernble excitement in our com- munity. Ho was awalting cxecutfon of the death-sentence passed on him by the Hon, P L. Grubb, Judgoe of the Buchanan County Cir- cuit Court, at the spring term of court in 1875 Whether the wound he inflicted on himaclf by the ald of the Smith & Wesson pistol, which he has hnd recreted in his mattrees for some time past, will prove fatal or not, 1s n queation for Providence to declde, Undoubted- 1y he was pecfectly eano at the time he com- mitted the deed, and spparcatly ho was deter- mined, If possible, to scnd hia soul to eternity with as little delay as could be helped, His wound {s fn the breast, iminediately over the left nipple. and |s reported by our phiysiclans ns & very scrions one. ‘The clrcumstances attending his Imprisoament are as folluws: On the 25th of December, 1874, he mortally wonnded J. B. Spratt, n farmer restding i Buchanan County, who was on that day engaged in a lawwsuit with some nmen named Wallingford, n the Village of DeKalb, in this_ ‘county. It was alleged, and proven at Brown's trlal, that he shot” Spratt from o sheltered position he aceupfed hehind the door {n the Justive's offive, 1le himsclf wus alterwards wounded by a shot fired by Spratt's eon. Brown was arrested on the enot, but released on giving bail In the sum of $2,000. Shortly alterwanls ho was re- arrested, when he walved examination, and wns committed to the Jall in this city to await his trial at the next session of the Cireult Court. On Sunday, the 27th of December, ho was brought to cur jail, where he was conflued to Dis bet for suma tino becanso of the wouml ha bad received, During that time ho wade a statement to the reporters recard- Ing the affair, in which le acknowledged the eliouting, but claimed that he acted only In scif-defense, having heen threatened by Spratt, He was In due course tricd, convicted, nnd sentenced to be hanged; but hls attorneys car- rled the case to the Supreme Court on a writ of error. The declsion of the lower court was al- frmed, and ap) nrcnllf‘ Drown had no hope ot escaping capital punishnient. Before the day arrived on which the senlence was to be exe- cuted, he, In company with scyeral other prison- ers, broke Jafl, ond he, together with one Willlam "~ Early, escaped to tho In- dlan Natlon, The fmplements with which they effected theie release were furnished by Early's wife, and the work of sawing the bara was perforticd by the prisoners, but without any ald from Brown. e bafiled pursuit until Jnnuary, 1876, when ho was captured by Willlam Larly, who hadl left him some time previous, usalsted by Thomas and Richard Miles, at the faot of the Ozark Mauntaine, ln Arkansas, Dy these men ho was conveyed to Crawfond Coutie ty, Kan.. nnd there delivered to the authorities, who in dua time returncd him to St. Josenh. About the same time, Early and Thomas Miles were arreated In Crawford County, tried, and sentenced to terms fn tho_Ponlfentlary, for stealing 6 quantity of bacor.y Alter Brown'a return to St. Joe, he evinced symptoms of m!tculnfi of the brain, and was ailjudged by many to be insane. e tave two verslons of lLils escape and wanderlngs,~In one, claiming to have been captured on Musko- eeo Creek, whils living with the Cnerokoe In- dians, In the Indlan Nation; and in_another, that he was eaptured in Arkansas, Tho latter statement way the truth, ns It was corroborated by his wife, who had been persunded by Miles to &0 with him fn search of her huaband, sud was near him at the time of his capture, In reallty, Miles had accompaniod Brown in soms of his wanderings, and had accepted a commission to bring Mrs. Browntobim, Lut the desfrofor roward overcame bis friendly feelings, und he entered into s plot with the other capturers to bv:lrnly Brown, which plot proved eminently successful, Brown's conditlon, g0 fur ns jusanity fs con- cerned, has remalned wimost unchanged unt )} lately, when he showed cvident signs of fm- provement. Only & few days since, o respito was granted him until Feb. 2,187, Arex. AN INDIANA IIORROR. Fonrt Warng, Ind,, Jan. 8.—The little town of Hull Ruplds, on the canal, a few miles north of here, Is how the scone of 'much excitement. A young lady who has been teaching school thers for several moutls, cie night Jast week left her boarding pl aud golng out into o fleld muvo birth to a child in the snow, and left it lying In tho fence corner. It was found dead next morning, The mother's foot-prints wero tracked to ber house tast night. The wirl died, having been In intense agony cver since tho af- fulr. Her death was caused by the cold and ex- posure on tho night of tho birth, s o very heavy snow-storm was prevailing at the time. Bhe sloped with a Jover about o year ngo, and It {s m:al known whuther she waua married to Mm or not. MURDER AND RUICIDE, Dispatch 40 Detrolt Frea Press, GreexviLLe, Mich.,, Jou, 8,—Ilenry Clark, aged 23, shot his brother's wile last night, at the camp of Sam J. Youngman,,in the Town of Cato, this county, e came to the housc ai 6 p. m., and without & word of warning shot her twico. ‘Tho first shot took effect In the right brenst, and the second aliot passed through the stomach, Ho immediately took to the woods, ‘The ofiicers were ablo to track him, At 9 p.m, Otieer Dan Martin overtook him tiva miles trom tho sceno of the tragedy, On seeing the oflicer, he pluced hls revolver to bis heud snd shot himsel? twiee, Both partica aro morlally wounded. TWO 'I'O ONE, . Bueman, Tex,, Jan. .—A day or two ago, near Pliot Polnt, ot & ball, three men, named Flippin, Harrlson, aud Markham, got into s dif- fleulty in the ball-room, Markham waa asked outslide by the uther two. As he stepped oul Do was shot st by Flippin, the ball gruzing and cuttling bis heads Markimm_returned the fire, il Flippt (netantly. Uarsison, Flippin's friend, report says, also shat at Markhain, but mlysed I, Markhatn shut b the Sball {coming wut back are ho hope rendered. i1 the mouth, his nevk. There of "his recovery, Markham sure DANGEROUSLY SIIOT, Zpectal Diepateh to The Triduna. Ostans .y Jun, T.—Tom McVey, a boot. Dlack, dungerously shot 1leury Turner, a cul- ored nan, in tho stoiach luat night ju a saloon. ‘Ihe trouble urose over & gene of cards, Mee Viy wus arrested, TO UE ILANGED, Darroy, O, Jan. 7.—Harvey Adams, who was convieted of murder In the first degree scy- crul weeka ugo, was yesterday scotenced to be hanged on the 27th of April, His counsel will take tho case to the Supreme Court. BRENT, 8perial Dispaich fo Ths Tridune. New Yous, Jau. 8.—~Charles J, Brent, the Loulssille bunk-forger, arrived here to-day on the Parthia, in eharge of Ofticer Wilkluson, of Pinkerton's foree. lle professes to be cxeevd- Ingly glad to get back to this country. e ———— OCEAN STEAMSHIP NEWS, New Yonk, Jun. T.~Arrived, steamers Purihia oud City of New York, from Liver- pool, Hararax, Jan. from Liverpool, Prymoury, Jun. 7.—The steamship Pomme. ranly, from New York, has arrived, Havipax, Jun. 7.—~1he steamier Austrian has arrived at St. John from Liverpoul, New Youx, Jan. 7.—Arrived, steamer Idaho, from Liverpool. BAN FuaNc1sco, Jan. T.—Arrived, the ship Bt. pul. from New York. ‘The Russtan guu-boat ermiack arrived to-day. Six Russian corvettes aud guu-boats ure sow hery five are due. o s g—— - “'lROOPS'LJN INDIANA, Jerrersosvicer, lody Jun. 7.—Capt. Con- rad's Company I, Bccoud Infantry Unlted Btutes Arwy, fu commacod of Licut, Fgbert, arrived bero last night from Atlsots, (Ga.and are quar- tered at the Quartermaster's depot. T.—Arrived, the Polynestan, ASHTABULA. Interviews with Civil Engineers Concerning the Broken Bridge. Theory that Thieves Loosenea the Bolta of the Fatal Structure. The Corpses in the Engine-IHouso Mulil. plying Themselves. Views of Jorrespondents upon the Snbj;o!. of Iron Bridges, Spectal Dispatch to The Tridune, CLEVELAND, 0., Japn. 7.—Popular fecling on the Ashtatula horror shows no abatement. Every fact that can throw the slichtest ray of Tight upon the cause of the disaater fs cazerly caught up and discussed. Among the current rumors hias been one that the brldge was origi- naliy built for a single track, and thatiwhen the track sas doutled long sleopers were shinply used, and no provislon made for the fncreased straln that would come upon the structure. A reporter to<lay questioned Mr. Collins, Chicf Englneer of the road, upon this subject, and he, po nting to the abutment, sakd: * Bee for your- self where the bridge rested on the plers,—six- teen feet rido up there; docsu't that answer your questioni" Reporter—But the bridge was bullt some years befors tho doublo track was lald, was it noti Mr, Collins—Quito true; but it was Intended for n double track when the Company was ready to lay one. It was constructed sixteen feet wide and perfectly well made, so far as I know. ‘The old bridge ran acruss from tho old plers, the romains of which you can sce are still stand- Ing. The engincer who took down the jron Toledo bridge some years since, after it had been In constant scrvico for s period of fifteen years, furnishes the following interesting facts fu re- to ft: “3When that brldge was taken down thers was some belief that its parts had become crys- tallized, and, therefore, uscless. TFor the pur poso of testing this matter, the varlous rods and Dolts were sent to the shops of MeNalry, Claflin & Co., of Clevcland, and subjected to o rigld sclontifio test. By this means it was ascertalued that the iron was 18 good as now, bLeing able to ;lenll; f pressuro of 80,000 pounds to the square nch.! Reporter—But there s ruch a thing as crys- tallization In car-wheels und axles, Is thers notl Engincer~Certainly, - The car-wheel or asle 1s supjected to a constant Jurring, which will [n time affect the tenaclty of the fron, But the work which a bridza pertorms {s very different from that required of a car-wheel, and, judeing from the experliments upon the fron of the To- Jedo bridee, it would seem thut its capacity for that kind of endurance would be indefinite, Reporter—You don't think the bridge Iying |- all twisted and broken at the bottom of “the gorge there waa worn ont, thent Engincer—I have no idca that such was tho case. Reporter—DId you eco the artlclo fn the Cleveland Leader in regard to the falling of the brfge befnz the work of thicves{ Englucer~Idid. Iread tho article with fn- terest. Buch may have been the case. The in- vestization of the broken bridie as {t s taken out pleeo by plece will certalnly demonstrute that polnt.” 1f the threads of the bolts ot the bridge have ?mluall worn cut aud the nuts have dropped off, this can be scen, If any huve been remuved, nothing will be casfer than to diseover that fnct. ‘Iho new bridee now spans the chasm above the twisted and broken rufn of the old, and the citiet buflder hopes to have the track luid acrosa it for the running of trains by the middic of the week. As the structure is only for temporary purposes, soma may have formed the canception that it will not be safe. In reply to this i1t s stated that the bridge is us good & wooden Howe truss as fs mnde, The Caroner's jury took no testimony on Sat- urday, but will resume the examination of wit- ncasés Lo-tnorraw, The contents of tho coflins were carofully examined on Saturday by two physiciaus, sod it was deelded that, in’ severnl cases, portions of different Lodies had been placed In the samno coflln. In vné collin thero wero portions of three bodies. By separating these, some six more bodles wers made out, or_twenty-two, all stl! walting fdentifieation, Three bodivs were all taken to o vault in Woodland Ceme- tery, and witl atill ba rctained for o tite longer for {dentification. The body of Bias Libble Myers was recox- nized by her fricuds on Saturduy by o emudl re- manfng portfon of Iace, aud taken (0 Lier former home In BufTulo for burtal. Every day some of the Injured are belng pro- flmmccd sble to be removed, aud leave for thelr omes. ¢ persons who were thought to have erivhied {n the wreek were yesterday restored o lifo through tha energy of Mr, Pafne, in tele- graphig to thair friewls, Thelr names_are ns Tollows: J. K. Wilso! ledo, O,y and Mr, and Mrs, J. N, Peck, Peorfa, I Evidences of the stealing ol relles from the wreck have ae- cumulated to such an extent thoy the Mayor hus been iuduced to fssuo n proclamation commanding the stolen artlcles ta bu restored, Warrants under this proclanation have been Isaucea for various partics, the offenses of sume of whom are very serivua. For instance, o party in Denmark, 0., wan reported us lnving in s possession o very valuable gold bracelet, o minute deserlption of which was civen, When first obtadued It stlil had portions of burnt hu- man flesh clinging to It, which were scraped off by tho now pusscssor, and tho prizo taken ton jeweler's for some needed repalrs, This ardent rel{e-lunter, together with several others, s uow {n the custody of the City Marshsl, Tho investigation by the City Council of the f4re gsopartment wil{ begin on Monday, and i very thorough canvass of the wholo niatter iy promised, Binca the last report a valitable Roman iold locket hias been found u the vrock, together with minor artlcles, which may prove of some value fu the jdentification of remalns, It 1y the opfnfon of the Coroner that very few moro Iuxlies can be definltely recoguized, und there s searcely any tracoe remalning, so far ns ean he scen, by which thelr fndividuality can be fixed, BaPETY IN HEATING CARS. b the Kditor of The Tribume. DaNvILLE, 1L, Jun. 8.—The fearful loss of Jifo by fire at the Aslitabuls bridge turns the “attention of tho traveling publle to means and appliances used for thelr protection from that terrible clement. Bomie yeurs sgo many of our rallroads udopted the uss of kerosepe ol for the purpose of lighting thelr coaches. 'This, s0 fur as light was concerned, was a great Improve- meat uver the uld tullow or epcrin candle; but they soon found out [rom bitter experience they had a terrible and relentless enemy fn use, A every aceident, the cars cangit fire fron this kerosene, whiel, burning, was thrown in every direction, carrying destruction everywhere. So Rreat was tho dumnage, and 50 great”the danger, that the. Lexislatures {n some of the States took tha matter fa hand and paraed lawa forbldding the use of kerasene for lizhting trufus, ‘There way, however, 0 ail of the trains, us great o dunger as that above mentioned, which was not tuken hold of for the reason that no substitute was offered, That nunzu‘ was reds hot cast-fron stoves. These, wany of them, be- fug but mere sholls, in aceldont whers the ears were broken up or overturied, were erahd like egg-shells, scatterinz the firg in c\'fl?' dires thon, causing destruction to the cars amd death and fearful sulfering to tho passenzers. 8o ue- customed ure wo becoming to this tiat when we see an account of u raflway accldent we expect o Be s lun% st of thosu Lurned to teath. Bome of gur raflway-managers have heen en- deavoring ta Lring Into use such henters as shatl present the luast danger possible, amoue whow are the manugers of the 'ullan cars, who luve udopted the Hoker heater ut great expenat,— not luss than §4 per car—but even then the danger s not averted, ¥ ‘The safcty of human lives and of property demands thiat some stove shall be constructed 0 that, In cuse of a colllslon or of the breaking down of & bridee and cars goliug through, the fire shall be exttuzuished, Bince the Angola sdisaster, somne cight yoars ago, this bas been ut- tempted 1any times, oid a3 many fuiled. Untll tho prescut, none have been suecessful, Portles b this cily are constructing a car-heaterwhich lias been ‘carcfully_tested, and proved equal to the emergency. The bottest fruthat can by wade ju thie stuve was, upon belng tipped over, extivguished {n from siX to ten seconds of time, ‘They proposs to give au exbibition uf the stovy stw publie trial of 1ts merits in a Jow duys. When patentod, the otficers "of the Patent- Otlles t o givieg i the pralse of belug the best lifwsaviug device prescuted fn & long time. It is so simplo & chlld can under- staud i, aud thecost of cumstruction very light; the expenso of keeping it ‘ready for actlon fs comparatively nothing.” Bcveral rajlrond and scientific gentlemen have examinad the stove, and do not heritate to pronounce it superior to anything of the kind hrnufl\t out, anid that passenzera on cars where it s used need have no fear of belng burned up, The rallwnys that may adopt it will have o wonderful advantage over thore that do not and the public will ‘speedily tike cognizance o that fact. They are eagrerly swatching the enter- prise, and when a thorongh trinl lins been mada i’ullrmrmnmmlfl\t will inform: them through he columns of ‘Tnn TiisuNe, which I8 much ealled for and read fn this city. . ABNTABULA BRIDGE. To the Kditor of The Tritune. Crttcago, dan. 5.—1u Tur Trinung of to-day 1 notice that ' Bridge-Builder™ suggests a causo for the breaking of the raflroad bridge at Ashtatula, and makes certain statements fn- volving principles and facts whichare so utferly falso that I feel constrained to make n brief reply. He saga: “The cxpansion of fron by heat and its contraction by “cold_Is ono of Lhe best settled fuctain mechnnies,” Every practicat man knows that. Hut when lie says that * The ‘nuta on the bolta of an fron rallway bridge must be ecrowed up together gradually as the heat of sumtner incrcases or they will bécome loose, the Jarof the cars passing over it will wear out the threade, and of course the bridge will become It a few years very unsafe, and, on the contrary, they must Lo earefully’ loosened a3 thocold weather Inerenscs, or the bLolts wiil be almost sure to brenk,” he assumes that whith Is not true elther in principle or practice, 1t ia true that the bolts expand and lengthen I warin weather, and o does every other part of au fron bridge In the same rrw‘mrllon, 80 that an’ equillbrium fs malntafned throughout the structure, The Ashtabula bridge wasu Howe truss, and the vertieal bolts, upon which the stabllity of the Lridgo depends {other things belng equal), ure always taut, and there Is il vossiblifty of the nuts “becoming looes anid wearlug the threads.” And the fallure of the bridge tnust be lookeidl for on some other hy- othesls than the one suggested by * Bridge- Jullder.” 1 have no snccitieations by which to determing the susticlenty of the bridge for the purposs for which 1t was destgned. There fs no guestion that the Howe bridge Is o good e, whet properly constrricted; and tho act that it _had been practically teated for ten vears would naturally tncline experienced men 0 look for some gpeclal reason for its fallure at. the Inte diraster. "1 have not been able to fully make ulv my mind whether the beldge was fn- trinsteally vreak for the lengthiof span (160 feet), or whettier there was not some nceldent to the train which causcd the fallure of tho bridge, Among the many statements of rxuweukurn which'| have read’in Tue TrinuNg, there {s one which I think worthy of special notice, which, if trur, affords o clew to the mystery, One man rtates that ho was standine at'the front door of the car, **and thought thero was something the matter with the train: be retorned to the centrs of the car, and then felt the car toing down." Now, the cars were running within a fow {nchces of the matu braces of the truss, and, it thrown a little out of lne by the brunkim: of & wheel, an axle, or a rail, the corner of the car might be thrown fn contact with the maln Draces and bolts, aud what folloswed would be tho natural result. I do not assume that thls is n correet golution of the terrible catastrophe, but T havo known of ccldents ocenrring to good htm‘)ius substantlally in the way I bave indl- cated. AN OLp Bripur-BuiLDER. 1NOX BRIDOES. v the Editor of The Tribuns. KroxviLLy, In., Jan. 4.—In your editorlnl in Wednesday's issuc entitled “ One Lesson of the Horror," you take the ground that it 1s proved that fron is unflt for use n the constructionof railroad bridges, and that cvery bridzo inthe country bullt of that material Is llable to give way In the same manner 08 did the Lake Bhore Rallrond brld?’e ot Ashtohula. Asa civil engi- neery I beg Teave to differ from you [n this opinfon, and to express the belicf that the Vreaking down of that bridge has been the result of cither Ignorance, carclcssness, or crimiuallty ou the part of some one. To my mind there ¢an be but three poasible mogles of explatning why the bridge gave way, Onc s, that, in rulte of all that fs sald of the pertect anner fn which the bridge was constructed, it never was a really safe bridge from the begin- ning, but was faulty In plan or construction. Another Is, that, if {t was really built on reason- abls-coriect princlpics, it hias' not been grop- crly watched, but has been allowed to get out of order by the loosening of screws ,or othierwise, this bringing too great strain on cer- taln parts. And, lastly, it is possible that ths ‘bridee may have becu tampered with by evil-ls- posed persous for the very purpose of producing o smash-up, Thoughlt 1sno doubt true that re- peatea strains brought Lo bear upon fron nduco o change In the arrangement of jts molecules which weakens M.,lycl this can be and generally {s provided tor in hridges by riving them much greater strencth than is suilicient to sustain any welght ever likely to bo brought upon theui, Aud, in view of the past experience of tho world in the use of Iron, I bellove that most coglucers will agree with e that the late calamity must have been duo ta ono of Lhe causcs 1 have sug- pested, rather than to any {nberent fault In {ron as a rellable materdal. Epwanp Powrns. THE RAILROADS. TIE TIME 18 UP, The Michigon Central and Lake Shore & Micligan Bouthern Rallroad Compaules have reached an important erisfs In thelr coreer, In glving the chorters to the above-named Come panles, the Michizan Teglslatures rescrved tno right, at any timo alter thirty years from the timo of granting them, to repeal, amend, or alter them by a two-thirds vote of the Leglsla. ture, provided that sald Companles should be compennated by the State for all daniages sus- talned by reason of ench alteration, amend- ment, of Tepeul, The thirty years have now expired, anid thero 1s somc apcculntion as to what steps, if any, tho “Leghslature of Michigan wilt tafie, Thers s probably but one ques- tlon which will' engruss —the attention of the present Leglalature. ‘This s the question of taxation, ‘The charter of the Michigan Cen- tral Raltrosd Cumpany provided that it should pay to the State Treasurer an anuual tax of halt of 1 per cent upon the capltal atock paid i, Including the two milllons of purchuse monoy pald to the State, until Feb. 1, 1851, and there- after au nonual tax of three-fourths of 1 per cent on the sumae basis, and sleo upon loans made to the Company for construeting the road, or purchasing, constructing, charterng, or hir- ing the cight steamboats “which the Company ‘was authorized to hold. In consideration of this, sll property of the Company wus to be *oxempt from all and overy tax, charge, and exaction by virtue of auy laws of the Stste now or here- after to by in forve, except penalties' by the charter dmposed. The Btate wus empowered to repurchase tho raflroad and all {mmerly of the Company after Jan, 1, 1877, taking evervibing, aubject to liens thereon for loans Invested (i the road and its work, und was S0 pay tnerefor the market valao of tho entire stock of and shares {u the Company, and 10 per cent in addition, the market valuo to be ssver- tahned by tuking the average of the publie sale prices of the stock or shares as made in Boston and New York during the twelve months pre- ceding the year fn which the State should so runlmsr, but in no case should the smount to be paid be Iess than the mnount of cupital aetually paid fn by the stockliolders. The provislots fu the original charter of the Luks Shore & Michlgan Bouthern in regard to taxation, the repurciiase of the road by the Blate, cte. are preclsely the suma ns thoso cous tatned i the cirter of the Michizan Central, Of course, the State has uo futention at this criod to purchase the road, but fn regard to axation some uction will prubably be taken if o two-thirda vote, as provided In the charter, can be obtaingd. The three<quurters of 1 per cent which {s paid by the raliroads is, acconding to the Detroit Tribune, not considered by the tax- Flytl’l a falr division of the public burden. It 1ie poor peasant,” that paper says, ** pa; vent on hls $14,000,000 worth of [ropertsy why, hu inquites, should not the rallroads pay an al sutn on the same amount! Lust year the higan Central pald taxes argregsting 8184, 033,20 the Mlcllig'Ll.m Southern, now Ler of the Lake Shors Consolidation, 00. The tux of the Central is §597,43 {ie, and that of the Sonthern #2035, Mak- ng atlowance for the ditference (n cost and value, and the differenco In nnleaze between the Gwo, the Southern should have puid $00,051,2) had it been taxed equally with the Central, ‘Ihis is a difference ot nearly 800 per cent, und 13 un annusl loss to the State ol $53,406.90. Tho clalm of the Southern s that but & small pro- portlon of fta roads, shops, and property is lo- cuted {o this Btate, aud cunuot, therefore, bs taxable here! BAPETY. —— B ATLANTIC & PACIFIC, Fpectal Curresponance of The Tridune, ‘Wasuixaroy, D. C., Jan. 4.—In the House of Represcutatives, Mr. Bland, of Missourl, pre- ssented a petitlon of the County Court of Laclede County, Mo., asking the Ecnators and Mcibers from that State to oppose any subsidy or aid to the Atlantfe & Pactllc Raliread Cow- {mny. which is now seekiog aid in the coustruc- fou of 8 brunch southwurd to copucet with the Texas Pacitlc Road, until sald Company shall comply with the laws of the 8tate in the matter of the payacnt of just, legul, and cquitable taxes. The petition was referred to the Com- mittee on acific Raflronds, and an attempt wjll be made to direct tha attention of the Commit- tee capeetally to tho subject at its next meeting, THE MICHIGAN CENTRAT, At the eemi-annital meeling of the Directors of the Michizan Central Ruilrond, held in New York Ins’, week, the followlng statement of tho Imeiness of the rond for the six mouths ending Nov. a0, 1870, was submlitteds ixrowr. (irona esruings from Lrafc, .. . Operaling cxpensce and 2,335,705 taxes Interest . 817,016 3, Ket earnings, Income frowm other. o Total net Incame for stx monthe, end- {ag Nov, 40, 167thsesveues. .8 307,041 FLOATING §IEOT, Juno1, 1870 Dee. 1, 1870.." Reduction i T o s tiag de 2160 cinding ¢ n] o8, woe §34: 3 §220,000In for ateel rals, ik NOXDED DERT, : June 1, 1870, Det 1, 1 Maln and atglines. .. §15 815 003 815 Kioach Leased Jine 7,087, 7,005,000 TOAIR, o ovoegerene ... §10,605,000 810,523,000 Showing n redaction” in honded debt of 882,000 durlng the holl-year, @nd a correaponding docrrase of Intorest paymenia from this date. The redoes tion is in bonda of the Jackeon, Lansing & Saginaw Ttailrond Company, which are eanceled as they aro piirchased with proceeds of Iand sales, In pursnance of the madificd azreement with that Company, 2 pectal Dispatch 1o The Tridune, DEraoit, dnii, - doTho. Michiinn Central Railroad officials nakenn nuthoritative anounces ment that Mr. Ledyard will not reatgn, and that the Dresident and 'Directora ara entlrely sotiafied with his administetion. Tt is_also stated that the general offlees of the rosd will remaln at Detroft. 5 THE DAKE SHORE & MICHIGAN SOUTHERN. At a meeting of the Board of Dircctars of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Raftroad, held Just previous to the Ashtahula disnster, the fol- lowine statement for the year 1870 was pre= sented, tho December business belng fo part estimated : Groas camninge. .. Working oxpenscs (08, 37 Not eagnings, o 1iueninis .8 4,301,177 Intercet, Yentn, and""ividends o> 3 guaranteed atock 2,730,000 812,003,177 0,602,000 Surplus . Disldond of & & l'géxln,':lfig Talance.. senee 8 021,847 Dnring the year ahont 10,500 tona of stesl ralls have heen subatltuted for fron. ~The cost of auh- stitution wan pald out of current revenue, and (s included In the amount of expenses sbove sinfed, ‘The Company has no fieating debt nor outstanding obligations n that naturc. Dueing the year tha bomted deht has been reduced $250,000 by ‘the ful- fllment of the requirement of the Binking Fund, and now stands al an ageregato of 83,000, 000.. The road, machinery, an rrullcrly have been In all ruretu fully maintaiued at thelr high standard conditlon, and “In wmsny respects matorially im- proved. In IY’“O of the aliave assertion in the report, that the road, machinery, snd property havo been inall respects maintained’ at thelr high Atandard condition, and In many reapects ma- terfally Imrmved, It Is clalmed by ratlroad men high In authority that such Is ot the case. On the contrary, it 1s claimed . that for scveral months previous to the making out of the state- ment the repalrs on the rasd, machinery, and rolling-stock Jvers stoppud In .order to reduce the expense account, thus increasing the net earnlugs to enable tho Dircctors to declure o dividend. Ontha showing of the report, the Board resolved to declare a_dividend of 13 per cent for the lost slx months, maoking 3{ per cent for the year. "MICHIGAN ROADS. Spectal Dispatch to The Tridune, T.awsiNg, Micli, Jan, 7.—The Detroit, Lanaing & Northern Ilallrond have put in o “Y" od slde-track at the junction with the Chleago & Northeastern. . The Tonfs Standard says it is the'intentlon to extend the Btanton Branch north (nstead of the taju line west) to Pentwater. . SNOW, BurrALo, Jan. 7.—All castward vound trains are from twelve tofourteen hours Iate, owing to the scyere snow-stormn last night. No tralns are yet fn, A 1TEMS, & ‘The Chicago, Towa: & Kunsas Rallroad Com- pany Is tho numo of a new company which has been organized to bulld a raflroad from a pofit, on the Chicago & Northwestern near Red Oak, In., soutiwest by way of Iowa' City and Sigourney to Ottumwa, For about half the dlstance phere 13 an old cd rosdher which cun bo used. The Com- pany cnbwngflflleun future cxlensfon frum ttumwa to St. Joseph, Mo, 1n the United States Clreutt Court at. Indinne apolls tho Trustees und Recelvers of tho Coe luinbus, Chicago & Indlann Central Rallroad have began & suit agalnst the Pennsylyanin Nallroad Company as guarantor of tha fvase to the Plttsbure, Clicihoat! & St. Louls Railrosid Compau That Company having falled to ful- fill the conditions of the lease. it {s now sought to cuforcs the tuarantee given by the Penn- sylyania Ratfrond Company. - ‘Tha 'Trustees of the Columbus, Chicago & Indiana Central Rafiroad_wive notlee that the coupons _on_ Columbus & Indisuapolis Central first-imortgage bonds, which became due_July 1, 1576, will be paid on presentation to A, Tsclin & l0., No. 48 Wall street, Now York, - —————— THE PACIFIC DROUGHT, Ban Fuancisco, Cal, Jan, 7.—Tho dronght continuca yubtoken, For the first time since the Amerftan ecttlement, December passed without a drop of raln. Yesterday dlspatches from varlous poluts of the Btate scemed to {ndis cate a change of weather. It haa again clearel up. The crop reports received from all quar- ters indicate that fn the cxtreme south the drought has already had, to some extent, & dis- astrous eflect on graln and feed, nnd fu soma parts of tho San Juaquin Valley, and the lower portion of the Sacrumenta Valley, tho crops oro sufferlug. From the con't countfes generally reports are fuvorablo and no tronble “fs apprehended L rain should bo delayed until’ next month, In the northern portion of the State anzioty Is felt, but no scrious damage has yet resulted, The crops in Oregun are coming forward excellentlys On the whole, the present indicativns ure that, with rajna later fn “tho winter, sufliclent grain will bo rafsed for homo consumption and a small surplus, 1 rain comes within a couple of weeks a fulr crop may bu barvested under favorable conditlons daring the rest of the ccason, but a large yield.can hardly be expected now unless the ralns should Le Inwediute aud coplous. ————— EDUCATIONAL. Spectal Dispaich o Tha Tribuns. DroowinaTos, 11k, Jan, 7.—The first week of the winter term of the Stute Normal School cnded Friday, with the enrollment of 804 stu- dents In the Normal Department and 128 1n the Model. ‘Thls total will be increased to 400 bee fore the cluse of this weelk, The attendance in the Nornal Departicut {8 25 per cent greater than lust term, and 8 per cent greater than the corresponding term last year, which facts aro somewhat semarkable, considering the striue geucy of the tnes throughout the State, ————————— Omiuha's eroine, Omaha Jlerald. Mre. J. C, Rosenfeld, of this clty, formerly Mibs Juba Steppery of Chilcago, whose tarsriace to Mr. Rosenfeld was celebrated but a (% months ago, acyuitted hiersel!l recently of a littlé bit of herolsin that deserves chronicling. While Mr. Rozenfeld was absent atteuding to his busk Tieas, a thief slipped into the house without b ingg ubworved, aud h&-?un searching mmong be rean dewers fu which her jewelry aud s con slderable sum of muney were placed, amount fug in all to $300. Thesa valuables he had suo cecded "In gatherigr up, and wus making o with them, when Mo Rosenfeld entercd the bedroow from another Qoor. - Sho took i tbe situatlon {n an justapt, and acted declsivelys Tustead of faluting or screaming for help whea she knew she was alone fo the house, she coolly stepped up to a wash-stand and drew from 4 drawer a lurge revolver, which probably had nob glar, wfortacd him in unmistakable langussé but the thict wuy badly enough mmll- to d::s y ady ——— uchicvement. Another example is found ju B T: matenal 1o be fonnd, Awa result it ls uncqual been loaded or fired fof B year, .and, pointhf that she was golug to thoot Litn., 8he wus B¢ his prey and get beyoud reach of tho Ambitlon is rarely satlsficd wiih any ltlllnmtl& Babbitt’s Tollet Houp, bis lateat luveution, 14123 aad will s0on becowo the great pupular fa)viite tho dunieruuy weapon ut tho besd of the bu~ doubt really the worst frightencd of tho (%0 ber revalver. ‘The greatest men bave becn tho viost esticss 870 combiued dellcats, natural scent, uud tho pure! E about sninety miles,