The New York Herald Newspaper, April 24, 1872, Page 6

THE CHEROKEE REVOLT History of the Bloody Fight at Go- ing Snake Court House. - INDIANS AND BORDER RUFFIANS. Attempting the Rescue of Proctor, a Murderer of Eighteen Persons. RED SKINNED FIENDS. The March of Captain Peavy and His Brave Posse. WHITE SUT BECK’S HEROISM. he Parley Between Indians and Their Cutthroat Allies. Commencement of the Battle---The Old Indian Takes the First Scalp. THE SCENE IN COURT. Judge, Jury, Audience and the Prisoner es eee NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1872—QUADRUPLE SHEET. Bad more the aspect of a huge military tent, occu- pled by soldiers engaged in its defence, than that of a Court of justice, All the people were armed. The jury wore their weapons, their revolvers and dag- gers being fastened to their belts; the Judge was ‘ded by aman armed to the teeth, the audi- ence—the border rudians and bloodthirsty Indi- ans—had their accoutrements of war suspended about their persons, and even Proctor, the mur- derer on trial, had a Spencer rifle and two revolvers. THE WOMEN SCATTERING—THE ARRIVAL, As the posse approached the house the women, who were standing outside, scattered in all direc- tions. When within @ short distance of the place the deputies dismounted, then formed in single file, and, after arranging their tactics, marched to the building, halting within a few yards of the principal entrance. Arranged around this door were several Cherokee Indians, who were friendly to the marshals, who saluted them with all due respect in obedience to a sign from White Sut Beck, a Cherokee accompanying the federal force. WHITE SUT BECK'S RECONNOITRB. White Sut Beck first approached the door of the temporary Court, and as soon as his foot rested upon the Hirst step he saw ata glance that the room was crowded with men, armed as above described, then turned and uttered a half Indian yell, indicating by his features the dangers that beset the party he was acting for, The rifles of the rufflans were all turned in an instant toward the place where he Was standing, and he then stood and faced the crowd. A PARLEY THROUGH WHITE SUT’S FRIENDS. The ceremonies of a parley were then gone through. White Sut Beck addressing the men from the doorstep, stated that there should be no dis- turbance such as their manifestations warranted him in believing they intended. He stated that the gentlemen who had arrived were United States officers, servants of the government at Washing- ton, who came with no hostile intentions towards them, but simply on a mission of Justice in which all should be equally interested. Deputy Marshal Peavy then came near and repeated, in substance the remarks made by White Sut, to those who understood English, the former having addressed his red-skinned brothers. The friendly Cherokees on the outside, relatives chiefly of Beck’s, then shouted in chorus the substance of Armed to the Teeth. ‘THE BATTLE RAGING. JRight Deputy Marshals Killed—Horrible si~- mishing and Cherokee Barbarity—Dying Men Kicked to Death and Their Bodies Bobbed—Mortality Among the Enemy. THE DEAD, WOUNDED AND MISSING, 4 scape of Peavy to Cincinnati— Trials and Dangers. ANXIETY FOR THE RESCUING BAND. HERALD SPECIAL REPORT. Litre Rock, Ark., April 23, 1872. The brief accounts of the recent slaughter of Inited States Marshals, previously published, gives it @ faint idea of the actual horror of the situation ptthe time. The Cherokee Indians have hitherto been regarded as a comparatively peaceable, intel- ligent race, and that when their ancestors re- moved from the hills and groves of Georgia and Tennessee to the wild, but fertile, rairle lands of Arkansas, they brought with hem the elements of civilized progression. They we been kindly treated, and in all their treaties with the government now treasured up in the archives of the tribe they have covenanted to do- Beck’s language to their fellows, who had so strangely fortified themselves within the building. THE HELLISH COMBAT COMMENCED, Just then the report of a gun was heard comtiug from within the building, followed “7 un indescrib- able hum of voices and lend stouts. This shot was the signal for a. *zuly hellish combat. The rattle of mnokeicy was heard from every part of the Place, the yells became louder and the menaces of the men more terrible, until at length war was openly declared, and the mar- shals were dared to enter the building. White Sut Beck was the first to take action on the part of the Marshal's force; he levelled his piece against the door post and was about to fire into the midst of the maddened mass of humanity, when his gun was grasped by a brother of Proctor’s, and held for several seconds against the step. “THE INDIAN MARSHALS FIRST SCALP. Beck selzed this man, holding bim within the powerful grasp of his iron hand as he would have held an infant, then exerting the power of his great, brawny arm he pulled him out on to the doorstep whereon he was standing, levelled his revolver and shot him through the heart. By the time Beck had thus summarily despatched the desperado the fight had become general, pale faces and red skins being engaged in a bloody and desperate encounter. The cracks of re- volvers and the whizzing of musket balls were in- cessant for a period of about five minutes, during which time a fearful massacre had taken place and twenty lives were sacrificed. THE SCENE AFTER THE FIRING. As soon as the firing had ceased it was observed that the greater portion of the fed- lying dead around the entrance to the school house. The wounded men inside the room were yelling, and the whole surviving company seemed helpless and demoralized. The Judge was discov- ered lying down, with a revolver ball in one of his knees. Deputy Marshal Owens was killed, as well as one of the jury. Proctor, the murderer, was Bist from all warlike proclivities and bloody excur- J badly wounded also. Bions against the pale faced race, to continue their professed friendliness and warn the Great Father when the peace should be threatened, either by their red skinned brethren or, the roaming white man. How far these stipulations have been carried out in reference to the harboring of border rufians and murderous desperadoes, for the sake of the liquor traffic, the following details of the terrible butchery at Going Snake Court House, between the United States Marshal's force and a umber of their tribe, aided by the “borderers,” ‘will inform the readers of the HERALD:-* GOING SNAKE COURT HOUSE. Going Snake Court House, usually employed to hold the sessions of the District Court of the Ter- ritory, is situated near the Arkansas line, sur- rounded by a few houses of primeval construction and wild-looking but not unpleasant scenery. It is about fiftyenine miles north of this city, twelve miles west of Dutchtown and difficult of approach. : THE CAUSE OF THE FIGHT. On the [ith of Aprila white man, who gave the name of J. J. Kesterson, arrived in this city and made a complaint to United States Commissioner Churchill that a white border ruMan, named Proc- tor, the alleged murderer of eighteen people, mar ried to a Cherokee woman, came into his mill on the 13th of February last, and, without the | least provocation, shot his(Kesterson’s) wife. Kes- terson was about to return the fire when Proctor turned his revolver against him, the first ball from which striking Kesferson Just across the left eye. Thinking it best not to fire in return then, he made his escape, leaving Proctor in possession of the mill and his wife’s corpse. THE WOMAN-KILLER ARRESTED. Previous to this rencontre, It appears, Proctor had killed his wife, and immediately after Kesterson’s Hight he was arrested and taken to the Court House to answer the charge. His friends, despera- does like himself, determined to rescue him at the trial, Which was set down for the 1th inst., and for HORRIBLE BRUTALITY, James Ward, who leaves a young wife at this Place, was about to mount his mule and ride off for assistance, when he was shot down, then kicked to death and robbed by a Cherokee. Riley Woods, another of the federal force, was shot down, and when in the last agonies of death was treated in a similarly barbarous manner. Moses Alberti, a prominent Cherokee, suddenly placed himself before Captain Peavy, threw open his coat, and was about to draw his revolver to kill the Marshal. Peavy immediately realized his posi- tion and the redskin’s intention, and at once covered him with his rifle. The Indian immedi- ately dropped his hands in token of a truce, and pretended to have no evil purpose. No sooner had Peavy turned partially to go in another direction than Alberti drew his revolver upon the Captain and was DELIBERATELY AIMING AT THE TRAD of his intended victim, when one of Peavy’s posse, witnessing the affair and understanding the treach- ery of the fiend, shot Moses dead before he had car- ried out his murderous design. Deputy Marshal Owens was shot through the~ body, the ball which caused his death passing out above the hip and striking the northeast- ern corner of the schoolhouse, near where he was standing. Peavy saw his comrade fall, and, seizing the bleeding but not lifeless body, he walked backwards from the house, a distance of eighty yards, to the ‘rear, constantly facing the enemy, many of whom were armed with Spencer rifles, and the balls from some of them passing through a part of his coat. After facing the fury of this bloodthirsty crew for some minutes he was still RETREATING WITH OWENS IN HIS ARMS, when he met the old Indian man Beck. Beck hur- riedly informed him that his two sens and two nephews had been in the fight on the Marshal's side, three of whom, he said, were then dead. that purpose enlisted the sympathy of a body of disatfected Indians, who nave exhibited the most intense feeling of jealousy at the authority of the United States as exercised over their domalhs. ' THE DEPARTURE OF THE MARSILALS. Commissioner Churchill issued a writ for Proctor’s arrest, which was placed in the hands of United States Deputy Marshals Owens and Peavy, and on Saturday, the 12th inst., they started, accompanied | by three officers and with the intention of increas- ing the strength of their posse before reaching the Snake district. Gerers of Marsha! Bentz, who were known tobe still in the vicinity of the Court House. Before reach- ing Dutchtown the Marshal's posse consisted of eleven armed men, and this force headed at once for Barren Fork, Cherokee Nation. THE RUFFIANS ON THE ALERT. Arrived at Dutchtown they were informed of the previous arrest of Proctor; of his alleged eighteen murders, a great number of whose vic- tims were reported to be women; of the deter- mination of the border villains to rescue him, and | their associations with the Indians for that pur- pose. Tie posse then agreed to go to the Court House 2 la militaire, and wait until the action of the Court stould be known, and if he was con- demned to prevent his capture from the authori- ties, or ifacquitted to secure him on the second charge sworn to by Kesterson. It was evident, however, that information bad reached the Court Louse of tueir approach. WHO WERE THE TRAITORS? Indeed, {t seems that the approach of the Mar- Shal's force was well known within the Court House, and that preparations had been made to Tesist them, for the Court adjourned on the morn- ing of the fight from the Court House, a compara- tively open building, to a school house situated about half a mile north of {t, which 18 a well and Closely constructed building Standing quite out in the prairie. John Proctor, the murderer's brother, carried the order of the Court to the schoolmaster, EVERYBODY ARMED—THE PRISONER'S WEAPONS, ‘The appearance of the assem)lea party was war- Uke in the extreme, aud the school house within They had also writs for the mur- | Peavy handed Owens over to him, and requested | him to take the dying man to Mrs. Whitemore’s | Louse, about half a mile distant. | FLIGHT OF THE MURDECERS. | Having given Beck instructions to return imme» diately he had seen Owens safely deposited in the | house, Peavy hurried back to the temporary court | room, the scene of the bloody battle, but was greatly surprised to discover that the cowardly ruffians, | with their surviving Indian allies, had fied, the | place being perfectly cleared of combatants, A | number of women had now arrived, amd these he | called into requisition to assist him to remove the dead and wounded, THE BODIES OF SEVEN DEPUTY MARSHALS, who had been killed, were first brought together, Securing a team of oxen and an old cart, the ) Stifened forms were placed in the vehicle and con- } yeyed to the house of Mrs. Whitemore. Arriving there the bodies were placed side by side in the porch of the house, where Peavy, alded by an old squaw, and Vannoy, one of his men, straight- ened their stiffening limbs, and then left them for the time to the Indian squaws, who howled and yelled over their lifeless forms in a most pitiful manner. THE KILLED ON THE MARSTTAL'S SIDE. ‘The following are the names of the killed on the Marshal's side:—Bill and Sam Beck, sons of old White Sut Beck; Black Sut Beck, a nephew of the warriors; James Ward, of Fort Smith, formerly a wagon master; Riley Woods, of Fort Smith; George Selvidge, Benton county; William Hicks, a friendly Cherokee, and Deputy Marshal J. G. Owens, who died shortly after his removal to Mrs. Whitemore’s house. WOUNDED OF TIIR PEDERAL PARTY. @ white Sut Beck, a brother of Black Sut Beck, was severely wounded, and McLaughlin, one of the Marshals, was also shot in two places, THE ENBMY’S DEED. Of the attacking party killed were Moses Alberti, John Proctor, an Indian juror; two Indians, sup- posed also to be of the rebels; and at a distance of haif a mile from the scene of the affray two addi- tional nokyown men wete found dead. who are eral force had been annihilated, the deputies 4 supposed to have been murdered out of sheer wan- tonness by the retreating aggreasors, In addition to these a Deputy Sheriff and another juror are missing, who are supposed to have fallen during the contest and been carried out into the prairie. The wounded of the enemy are estimated to be from fifteen to twenty. THE FIRST MESSENGER WITH TIDINGS. Late the same evening Captain Peavy made his way to Cincinnati, twelve miles distant from the battle ground, within this State, bringing with him the brave old Indian, ‘whose wounds were of a severe nature, and Mc- Laughlin, the other wounded deputy, both of whom were scarcely able to walk, owing to loss of blood and fatigue. He left Owens and Vannoy at Mrs. Whitmore’s house, promising to send or bring medi- cal aid the instant it could be procured. THR DOCTOR “COULD NOT SEE IT.” He called again and again upon the surgeon at Cincinnati and begged that he would undertake the journey to the Snake district, and endeavor to save the life of poor Owens. The Doctor positively re- fused to uncertake the journey to such @ place, es- pecially at a time when, he said, the federal marshals, armed to the teeth, had been murdered in cold blood. If they did not escape, how much less should he, despite the reverence the Indians are supposed to have for the medical profession! Poor Owens had, however, ceased to require the ald thus sought for him, and had passed into that region where earthly ald is valucless. While Peavy was thus im- Ploring the ald of the doctor his comrade had died in great agony, attended only by the lion-hearted Vannoy and the good woman to whose hospitality he was indebted for the small comforts he had been able to enjoy. COFFINS FOR THR DEAD. Finaing it impossible to secure medical aid from Cincinnati he determined to provide for the dead as far as possible. He ordered coffins for all he re- membered to have seen in the arms of death, and engaged a team and a man to convey them to the Going Snake Court House. ADDITIONAL DANGERS, In the meantime new dangers had sprung up around Peavy and his wounded friends in Cincin- nati. They had been trailed to the latter place by the two sons of Moses Alberti, who, accompanied by a cousin, had, it appears, sworn to avenge the death of their parent, whom McLaughlin is said to have killed. These warriors of flerce mien and cowardly hearts made a savage attempt to reach the room of the house in which McLaughlin and the old Indian were lying, and showed a disposition to BOALP BOTH THE THE WOUNDED MEN. They had learned of the contract for the coffins and the arrangement to have them conveyed to the Court House, and at once informed the expressman that his life would be the forfeit of such an enter- prise. After being refused admission to the sick men’s room they demanded to see the “dog who had made the heaviest trail,” and then Peavy, fully armed, answered for himself at the door. “We want the two men within,” said they, and began to menace the Captain. He an. swered firmly “that he should not allow them even to see his friends, and, as for scalping them, they would have to do that over his dead body,” and he covered them, hy volvers, 2 9 ~< “““ARRIVAL OF REINFORCEMENTS, At this crisis United States Deputy Marshal George Dean arrived on the scene, accompanied by a posse from Fayatville, which fortunately turned the scales in Peavy’s favor. On perceiving the character of the men who were approaching the Indians made a hasty and ignominious retreat towards that part of the prairie where they averred they had friendly avengers lying in ambush, waiting only a signal from them to commence to butcher every person in the place. It is not probably that they spoke the trath regarding their allies for such an enterprise, because such a revolting exploit would bring down on them the sure and speedy vengeance of the gov- ernment. » CONDITION OF ‘CAPTAIN’? PEAVY. The two wounded men were safely transported to Fayatville and placed in the charge of a surgeon. Peavy then took the Little Rock stage and arrived in this place on Wednesday evening, utterly ex- hausted and prostrate. He had partaken of but one meal in two days, had not slept since the Sunday night preceding the battle, and, altogether, he stated he was “terribly used up from the great excitemant and the DANGERS OF THE PAST THREE DAYS.” . The butt of one of his revolvers was shot off, his pantaloons and coat had been riddled, and he nearly lost one of his eyes by a Spencer rifle ball, which passed so close to him that a portion of the eye- brow was grazed, and other dangers to his visual organs were threatened. Once he was knocked down, and only saved himself by shooting at an In- dian who stood over him; then, his escape from the murderous Alberti and other such incidents tend to show that his escape was truly marvellous, THE “HEROIC MOTHER'S” Joy. One of his men, James Hawkins, is reported as naving made his appearance at Cincinnati, in com- pany with the old Indian squaw, Beck, the “heroic mother,” as she is called. Peavy states that when this old woman saw the stiffened forms of her only sons, with their hands clinched firmly, as if vic- torious even in death, and also the dead body of one of her nephews, she became like a person sud- denly seized with insanity, and exclaimed, without a tear in her eye, “Thank God, they did their duty to the government; they fought and died like brave men! THE VOLUNTEER AVENGERS. As I stated in a previous despatch, immediately after the st of the letter from Captain Peavy, a arty was made upand departed from here with he determination of rescuing Vannoy, secur- ing the bodies of the dead in the Snake district, and taking the murderous border rumans, dead of alive. The following is a fall list of the volunteers:—United States Deputy Marshals in charge—Charles F, Robinson and Joseph Tinker. The Posse—Anthony ‘Nets, Charles Sengel, Richard Hood, John 0. Lane, 0. Fleming, D. L. Winton, Alexander Patterson, Frank O'Brien, Elias Neal, Alexander Van Buren, J. W. E J.T. Weihe, T. W. Deans, J. Collins, Nealie Birnie, Joe bi G. W. Long, Philip Steager, T. W. Van Horm and John Bothwell. INDIANS LYING IN WAIT FOR THEM, The anxiety felt for these men for the time dead- ens the intensity of the feelings of tne people here in regard to the fight at the Court House. Many persons well acquainted with the habits of the belligerent Cherokees trembie for them and express alarm as to their fate. This anxiety has been ightened by the intelligence, brought in by a mail outrider last night, who stated that the Indians had received notice of their movements and were lying a ambush for them at Stroud in considerable force. NEWS FROM ROBINSON'S PARTY. On Thursday evening a courier arrived at the Marshal's office here with a letter from Charles T, Robinson, who had charge of the volunteer party. The letter is from “Flint Court House, dated April 17, and states that the rescuing force arrived there at ten o'clock on the 17th and found the whole country deserted. The Proctor party had decamped at six o'clock on the evening previous, accompanied by forty-six well-armed men, and taking all their wounded with them up tothe mountains. “Pursuit,” he said “with such a handful of men as I command woul be out of the question. If that was contemplated at first, the well-founded and reliable reports of friendly Indians and others had demonstrated that it would be folly and almost certain death to at- tempt to take the assassins under such circum. stances; that that would have to be left to the military.” oe, = FURTHER TESTIMONY OF THE BATTLE. His letter farther states that report published was not only not ex. aggerated, but insuficient. An Indian wo- man, through an_ interpreter, informed him that it was a dreadful and appalling affair, both sides fighting like wild bulldogs. She says Marshal Owen died at ant ry ten o'clock on the evening of the 15th instant, body Ls now being sent down to Little Rock. Riley Woods is now being buried, while I am writing this despatch. The body of James Ward has been brought over and entrusted to me by a friend with my party to forward it to his home, Some of the wounded were not engaged in the fight. Edward Been, a friendly Cherokee, is with us asaguide, The Sherif is said to have left before the fight began. WHERE ARE THE VOLUNTEERS AND REGULARS ? Such, in brief, is the substance of Robinson's letter, verifying, as faras necessary, the story of Peavy. Since this communication nothing has been heard from Robinson or his brave followers; but it is hoped that the federal troops ordered out by General Sheridan will find them and safely escort them to their homes, So far as I am aware there have been no tidings from the military since the order for their depar- ture to the Snake country was given, but possibly ve may receive some information via Vashington, Secretary Delano, of the Depart+ Ment of the Interior, is in Indian Territory, and probably in communication with Sheridan; but, despite all these signs of strength, the blood- thirsty Indians and their black-hearted, white-faced the first allies may make great havoc among the posse under Robinson's command before assistance arrives. pe A, the present we must await further develop- ni CATACAZY’S DISMISSAL. The Unquiet Diplomat Pensioned Off, Cautioned to Abstain from Writing and Dropped from the * Roll of the Foreign Office—Something from Which Mr. Fish Might Take a Lesson. Sr. Pererspura, April 2, 1872. Catacazy, after some weeks of hard labor, has at last presented his defence to the commission ap- pointed to investigate his acts, which commission does not seem to have been particularly over- whelmed by the startling revelations Mr. Catacazy was to have made. I judge, in fact, by the manner in which he has been rewarded for his services and pensioned off, that his representations have pro- duced little effect, and that ne is in deep, very deep, disgrace. He has received a pension of 3,000 rubles (about $2,000), and has gone off to some of the German or French watering places to recuperate, after the ex- citing war in which he has been engaged for the last year, NO MORE LETTER WRITING. He was given to understand, however, that he will be deprived of even this insignificant sum if he dares to publish a word more concerning the af- fair, and so the revelations which were to startle the world will be smothered in the unfathomable depths of the Russian archives, DROPPED FROM THE ROLLS. His name has been erased from the rolls of the Foreign OMoe, of which he is no longer a member, and the pension accorded him is not paid from thig part of the Budget, but from another fund, CATACAZY'S FATE A LESSON TO FISH. Dead, very dead, is Catacazy—politically, Imean— and we shall probably hear of him no more. The unquiet spirit which was Mr, Fish’s béte noire has been exorcised at last; the noise of their wran- Sling and discord, which excited and amused the world for so long, will be heard no more, Mr. Fish is victorious. His enemy has gone down, rhetori- cally, under the strokes of his mighty pen, and lies, metaphorically, dead at his feet. But one more such victory and Mr. Fish would be, too, lam afraid, @ very badly whipped man Indeed. It has cost too dearly to be often repeated, and let it be hoped for the sake of international good feeling that he may in future keep his temper. A Parthian Shot—Mr. Catacazy Com- municates with Mr. Sumner Before Leaving the United States—His Esteem for the American People and Pity for His Calumniators. Wasntnaron, March 12, 1872, Before leaving America Mr. Catacazy addressed the following letter to Mr. Sumner, by which it will be seen that his admiration for that distinguished gentleman is exactly equal to his dislike for many of Mr. Sumner’s countrymen :— New York, Jan. 20, 1872, My DeAR Mr. SUMNER—At the moment of my departure from America I feel most anxious to renew to you the assurance of my profound esteem and of my sincere friendship. I made your ac- @uaintance twenty years ago, at a time when you were not only the apostle but also the martyr of the great idea to the triumph of which you have so powerfully contributed. I have found you Invatlably the same—great, pure, honest, sery- ing your country with self-abnegation and devotion, A nation which produces such men as you has everything to hope from the future, and can well afford to bear with the transient miseries of the present. The American organization is so youthful, 80 fine and so vigorous that it is sure to throw off in the natural course of its progress the unsound ele- ments resulting from electoral, political accidents. I consequently ledve the United States with in- créased feelings of esteem and admiration for its great people, and with the cheerizg conviction that the friendship between this and my own country is se- cure against all intrigues, as against all blundering incapacity. As regards those who have exhausted themselves in efforts to calumniate me, and who have not scrupled at anything in the pursuit of their de- signs, Iam content to pity them. Were Ito con- descend to waste time upon them I would simply answer in the words once used by a celebrated statesman, “You may go on if you please, pile up falsehood upon falsehood, injury upon injury, but you will never succeed in elevating yourself to the height of my contempt."’ Ibid you once more farewell, with my sincerest thanks, and belfeve me, my dear Mr. Sumner, I re- main yours, respectfully, CATACAZY, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. Custom House Reforms—Report of a Committee of Investigation—A Lively Debate—The Committee’s Recommenda- tions. The Chamber of Commerce met yesterday after- noon, William E. Dodge in the chair, The business of the meeting was to receive and take action on the report of the committee ap- pointed ata previous meeting to investigate the reforms in the Custom House system, Colonel ConKLIN moved that the report be ac- cepted, and it was so, He then read an amendment to a certain section of it, and explained that though he was chairman of the committee and drew up the report, yet he was in the minority in regard to certain points. Alively debate ensued as to whether or not it was in order that the report, as presented, conld now po amended. Some members thought it should be acted upon neces- sarily just as it was, while others again could not see why Mr. Conklin could be deprived of his privilege of amending, as a mem- ber of the Chamber. The discussion on this point was lengthy and exciting, and was participated in by Messrs. Orton, Tousey, Grifith and others. The amendment alluded to was in effect a hard knocking at the Custom House, on account of the large patronage the Executive has assumed in Poet for political partisans. It called the Custom House “the reward and prey of the triumphant party of the country at large,” and explained that one cause of corruption lay in the fact that politicians getting salaries of from $1,000 to $4,000 a year exceeded their expenses in the hope of still farther favors from patrons, and then had to be come corrupt in order to meet expenses, Finally, it recommended that officers in the Custom House should be employed as employés in merchants’ offices were, namely, on account of the services they would render and for as longa time as they were faithful. On a vote being taken the amendment was lost. Then it Was moved that all that part of the re- port referring to the Appraiser’s Department and to the manner of working it be stricken out. This motion was made by Mr. Darling, the Appraiser of the Port, who said that an error had been commit- ted by the committee, for it was not true that the contract system had any merits init, and that the proper way to work the Department was to employ all government officers, who should be subject to a common head. Mr. CONKLIN opposed this, on the ground that. the Treasurer of the United States was in favor of contract system and it had been proved to have many advantages. Mr. Orton did not believe that any advantage would arise from putting the department in charge of governinént oMcers. No government official was responsible to the merchant for loss of goods, but if @ contract were entered into for the fionest peut rmance of certain work then the con- rac bound ‘6 make good all losses, He thought, hao jf merchants had taken a proper interest in thé polities a the city there would be fewer complaints for fraud now, and that corruption would continue until the moral tone of the community had been raised to a stand- ard so high as to prevent it. j A vote being taken the motion to strike out was Jost. The report was then put before the Chamber as a whole and was unanimously adopted. The report refers favorably to the recent action of the Collector of the port of New York. It recom- mends that the reform already inaugurated be made definite and final, It also recommends that the law regarding warehouse bonds be so amended as to no longer require merchants to give them; that more oficers might advantageonsly be em- ployed in the Collector's and Appraiser’s depart- ments, while in other departments many names might be dropped from the roll; that the extra charge often percentin warehousing, with the privi- lege of export should be removed and the privileges for three or five years be granted ; that the claim for duties on deteriorated goods that must be destroyed be remitted; that the unlading of cargoes of steam- ships be done at night time when necessary; that fines, instead of forfeitures, be the penalty in cases of any act of any person's smuggling on board ship; that the fine of $600 for omission of general clear- ance be reduced and a two days’ grace clearances; that the taking of ‘ce oatha”’ be discontinued and a simple substituted, ‘The report will be soon forwarded to the United States Senate Committee on Investigation and Re- trenchment. ART MATTERS. Sale of Avery’s Collection. Since the season of picture buying was ushered in by the sale of Mr. White’s paintings no collection displaying so much taste, combined with the knowl- edge of the connotsseur, has been presented to the public. We have here strikingly displayed the dif- ferent results which come from patronage of art by those who know and the results obtained by men who are only capable of admiration. The Lock- wood collection was an example of the latter phase of patronage. It was a confused jumble of paintings, some good and many indifferent, brought together by a man anxious to be a patron of art and a collector. Unfortunately for the rich, wealth can never replace culture, and hence We have 80 many private galleries that to the visitor of judgment and refined taste are wanting in all in- terest, notwithstanding considerable outlay on the art of their owners, e works brought together y Mr. Avery have the advantage that the most in- experienced may purchase them with confidence, They are not calculated to bring extraordinary prices, being for the most part small cabinet pic- tures. Another good feature is that the rising art of France is represented, so that purchasers have the chance that the wing fame of these promis- ing young artists will give to the paintings greatly increased value, Although there are many names in this collection comparatively unknown the favorite painters are in the great majority. The worinE is the result of the sale last evening :— “Feeding Chickens,” Sauvage, $100; ‘The Prus- sian Scout,” Lewis, $100; Landscape, Corot, $200; “Man-at-Arma,” Castus, $200; “Listening to the Battle,” Oarand, $160; * ‘ing Out to Sea,” Coom« $125; ‘The Little Sentinel,” Dargent, $165; “In the Lisrel, $145; ‘‘Inte- rior,” Stroebel, $140; Fruit, De Noter, $150; “Fallen Asleep,” Brion, $200;’“Put Your Trust in God and Keep Your Powder Dry,” Boughton, $115; “On the Terrace,’ Brillvoin, $100; yes Forgotten Babeus, $216° The ‘pack,” Love $280 ‘Siutly us, he e et, eux, 230; “Study aed Fiowers,” Dietrich,” $3104 «The Favorite Chicken,” Hublin, $265; “Le Sueur Sub- mitting His Designs,” Gide, $400; “Petrarch’s First Meeting with Laura,” $300; “Selling Her Jewels,” Bourgoln, $495; “After the Game,” Arcard, $200; “On the Ramparts,” wives, $500; “Landscape and Cattle,” Verboeckhofon, $825; “Bou- Cay Desgoffe, $310; ‘The Palm House,” yendecker, $265; “The Young Mother,” Bou- langer, $250; “The Rendez' Boulanger, $110; “The Ruined Chateau,” Alboy-Rebouet, $150; ‘‘Sa- luting the Portrait," Escosura, $380; “The Prelude to the Duel,” Tissot, $6104 lei 8 Delort, $180; ‘‘Refreshment,”” Envied Jewels,” Coomans, $430; Rest,’ Rudaux, $330; “The Toilet,” Bangunt, $710; “Medea,” Merle, $246, The sale will continue on Wednesday evening at the Somerville gallery. Lang’s Collection. This veteran artist has made up his mind to visit Europe, and to remain there for some years. He has therefore resolved to disburden himself of a number of works that have accumulated on his hands, as well as of his artistic furniture. The whole form a very interesting collection, at present on view at the Leavitt Art Rooms. The works, which number about one hundred, are diversified in character, and well represent this artist’s man- ner of painting. The sale will take place on Thurs. day and Friday évenings. rd picwerre™ Ea, Bo it: Sails ition Or Paintings. There is now on exhibition at No. 22 Broad street twenty-two paintings by this well known American artist. The collection comprises several of his latest and most important works, among which are “Dickens and His Characters,” “Darwin’s Theories Expounded,” “Fox Hunter’s Dream,” “Gulliver's Foot,” “Travelled Fox," “Rain of Cats and Dogs,” &c, They will be sold at auction on Thursday, the 25th, at twelve o'clock, to the highest bidder. Tho exhibition is worthy of visit from every lover of art, even those who do not desire to purchase. It is to be hoped that our wealthy citizens who are collecting pictures will be present at the sale in suflicient numbers to incite a fair competition, The French Relief Collection. Some timg ago we announced that the French artists had resolved to mark their sympathy for the afflicted people of Chicago by making a donation of pictures, which should be disposed of in the man- ner deemed best by a committee of Americans on this side of the water. The success which attended the proposed donation of paintings was so great that the projectors in Paris exhibited the collection as a striking proof of the intimate sympathy of France for America. Some of the pictures have been Sigur in illustration of the event which has called the collection into being, and will acquire new value from this circumstance, After some delay the pictures have actually arrived in New York. There was some doubt as to what was the pepper. course to pursue,in view of the fact that Jhicago possesse: already a large surplus fund contributed for the relief of her necessitous citizens, and that the authorities were puzzled to know what to do with it. Under these circumstances it was suggested that the collection should be kept together in some gallery in Chicago as a lasting proof of tiie sympathy of France. Other views, we believe, have prevailed, and the collection will be sold by auction at an early day by order of the committee who have charge of the matter here, Christmas in the Olden Time. T. L. Smith has just completed one of his most successful poetic subjects under the title of “Christ- mas in the Olden Time.” An old baronial mansion n a noble park is lighted up and mirrors itself in the tranquil water of an ornamental lake. It needs no words to comprehend that within all is life and merriment. There is something impressive in the blaze of light from the old house seen through the ee! of the evening, and we in- stinctively feel the influence of the happy Christmas time as we look upon this charming composition. ‘The subject requires Poetical thought in its man- agement, and Mr. Smith is peculiarly adapted to give it fitting expression. NEW YORK CITY. pn HESS SEY All manure is to be peremptorily removed by the Board of Health. . The Xavier Alumni Sodality will hold a soctal meeting on Thursday evening, the 25th inst., at the rooms of the Xavier Union, 49 West Fifteentii street. A “Dolly Varden” concert and entertainment is to be given at the Harlem Hall this evening by B. G. Tulbert. Grafulla’s Band will discourse some exquisite music on the occasion. Some of the “two story” operators entered the dwelling of Mr. G. Z. House, 324 East Filty-third street, on Monday afternoon, and secured booty to the amount of about fifteen hundred dollars. Ida Kreiger, twenty-five years of age, of 98 Second avenue, attempted to commit suicide yesterday by taking ether. Her friends discovered her before the olson had taken effect. She was sent to Bellevue Hospital. Quite a large delegation of the Committee of Seventy, among them Charles Watrous and John Wheeler, left for Albany by the ten o’clock train yesterday morning to urge their charter on Goy- ernor Hoffman, A committee of the Bar Associa- tion also went to Albany yore? morning to ap- pear before the Judiciary Committee, Michael McEvoy, of 96 Warren street, Brooklyn, a young man employed to drive one of Arnold, Con- stable & Co.’s package wagons, was arrested by Omcer Knox, of the Broadway squad, Monday after- noon, upon complaint of his employers, who charge that at various times he collected $300 for goods delivered and failed to return them the money. He admitted the charge before Justice Oox,* at Jetfer- son Market, yesterday morning, and was fully com- mitted for trial. Roundsman Orr, of the Ninth precinct, en Mon- day night arrested John Wilson in West Fourth Street, and found in his possession a jimmy. While on his way to the station house Wilson broke from the officer and attempted to make his escape, but wasrecaptured. Upon searching him at the station house a number of skeleton keys were found in his ag le The prisoner, upon being arraigned efore Justice Cox, at Jefferson Market, yesterday morning, was locked up in default of $500 bail to appear and answer at the Generat Sessions, Henrietta Dempsey, an Irish woman, forty-five years of age, late on Monday afternoon, was found dead in bed, on the second floor of the building in the rear of No, 46 Essex street. Deceased, a woman of intemperate habits, was last seen alive at nine | o’clock in the evening, she then being much under the influence of liquor, The ot of her death was discovered by Lawrence Dempsey, liv- ing in the same house. Deceased had been Iivin with a man named Anderson, of Babylon, L. I., an was the mother of one child, which the Tenth pre- cinct police took to the station house for protec- mu Coroner Keenan was notified to hold an in- ques' SHOCKING ACOIDENT IN JERSEY CITY. Yesterday morning Patrick McNulty, one of the men employed in the soda refinery at the corner of Washington and Morgan streets, Jersey City, fell it botling soda . Though still living Chor Se out hy his fellow workmen he pre- ie. The cuticle of his sented a horrible shee was conveyed to the Satire body, eeled o1 City Hospital; but his time in this world will be of short duration, a8 the physicians pronounced his THE CLERICAL WOLF. More About Dr. Huston’s Al- leged Villanies. A Bill of Indictment Against Him Being Pre- pared—His Victims Determined on His Prosecution. « BALTIMORE, April 23, 1872. The case of Dr. Huston, as it now stands, is very unsatisfactory to the public, and the impression ig gaining ground that the church authorities are en- deavoring to smother it. The examination of wit- nesses thus far by Presiding Elder Rogers and Rev, Dr. Gardner ts merely to make up the list of charges on which he is to be called upon to answer before a committee of the church. The investigation embraces examination into charges of seduction, bastardy, visiting taverns, drunken- ness and gambling. They have also corresponded with parties in Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia and Vir- ginia, who have made similar charges against him during his location as a minister in these States; and also a charge that while A CHAPLAIN IN THE CONFEDERATE ARMY he had in his tent, for six months, disguised as a boy servant, the very girl whom he took to the house of Mrs. Talifero, under the name of Lucy Mumford, and that he was court martialed and expelled the army for this immoral roceeding. What progress they have made in the investigation of these charges is not known, but no one can talk with these gentlemen without bein; satisfied that the proof they have already receive is very damaging. There is to-day not a Cle! an in the city belonging to Dr. Huston’s church who will undertake to defend him; and it is rumored that Samuel Snowden, his counsel, is anxious to withdraw from the libel suit commenced against the Baltimore American. That paper stands firmly by its accusations and expresses its readiness to prove its charges before a jury, but NO BILL OF COMPLAINT has yet been filed inthe case. Dr. Munsey, of the Central chureh, who advised Huston to fly from the ety, pelos him at the same time that he believed to ity, has proved all the charges brought aaminae: him by Huston to be false and malicious, and on Sunday last preached in Huston’s pulpit, which was regarded as an evi- dence that he has justified himself before the pre- siding elder. He immediately, on hearing of the charges,demanded the appointment of a committee to Bocompeny. him to Parkersburg, Va., which was the location of the origin of the charges, and where it 1s thought Huston is now hidden away from the world. di in the investigation is galling to the fee! of victims and their families and friends. He has charged them with being parties to @ conspiracy, and has called upon God to witness the truth of yuetise eaanasse Lieb saabacl gee ‘HIS DENIAL OF GUII. ay 3 months have nearly transpired and no portunity has been given to prove the truth of their assertions and to show that they are the victims of @ professional libertine, who had held them in his tolls from childhood. The procrastina- tion is, however, having the effect of silencing all who at first undertook to defend him. I learn that Presiding Elder Rogers says that he will have his BILL OF INDICTMENT prepared this week to forward to Dr. Huston, and will summon him to appear at the ex- amination of witnesses before a committee of ministers. It is proposed ‘that this exami- nation will be private. The bringing the sult against the American has had the effect of intimidating some of the witnesses who can give corroborating testimony of some of the m charges, but the large majority of them are Christian men and women who feel that they have a duty to perform in protecting the innocent and punishing the guilty, and cannot be deterred from appearing before the tribunal that is to find Dr. juston innocent or guilty. A BROOKLYN CHURCH SCANDAL. The Elopement and Return of a Promi- nent Methodist and Erring Sister—A Letter of Confession. A few evenings since the Rev. F. W. Ware, pastor of the Johnson street Methodist Episcopal church, at the corner of Jay and Johnson streets, read the following communication before the congrega- tion :— To tae Mempers or tux Jounson Street Meraovist Eriscoran Cauren = I deem it my duty to make a full statement, It isa duty Towe toyou and my own soul. At the time I so myste- riously di peared, from my home and your midst a few weeks ago, I had fallen into a great sin.” Itis due you know that I had eloped with another man’s wife. committed a terrible sin and God made me a great sufferer. For about six or seven wecks before I left Iwas walking before God but I indulged in thoughts and then fell. What induced those thoughts I cannot tell. I put in no plea of insanity. I fell before the temptations of Satan, and sinned against God, my friends and the mem- bers of this church. and brought a dark reproach against the church and put a stumbling stone before unbelievers. Thave no words to expross the agony that I have folt, and I ask you to forgive me, At the time that I left stood a member of the Johnson Street church, and I now say that Iam perfectly willin; ee should pursue that course with me that will be forthe good of the church. I know of nothing that I can do more. STEPHEN OWEN. This communication naturally created some little surprise, not that the facts contained therein were wholly new to the majority of those who havé listened to the reading of the letter, but that Mr. Owen should make such @ confession. Mr. Owen, the author of this remarkable communication, is an Englishma: who came to Brooklyn a few years since ani attached himself to the Johnson street Methodist Episcopal church, formerly known as the Cen- tenary. He obtained a situation as bookkeeper in & New York shipping house through his con- nection with the church, and he was sub- bas eda elected Worshipful Master of Forti- tude Lodge, F. and M., of Brooklyn. He is forty-five years of age, but has a very venera- ble appearance, from the fact that his hair and whiskers are quite gray. He was elected as Super- intendent of the Johnson street Methodist Episco- al Sabbath school, was highly esteemed by all who new him, and the thought of his backsliding was oy the last thing which entered. the heads of those with whom he was 80 closely allied by ties of friendship and religion. As will be remembered by paragraphs published at the time, he disap- peared in the most mysterious manner on Satur- day evening, March 23, leaving his wife, with whom he resided at 100 Hampden street, anxiously await- ing his return. His wife, as well as a host of friends and the members of his lodge, were exceedingly anxious concerning him. Inqul- ries led to the discovery that, simultaneously with his disappearance, the wife, of @ resident of Newark, with whom fe had been intimate for some time, had also disappeared, leaving two children. The mystery was therefore solved. Mr. Owen had eloped wyth another man’s wife. After an absence of two weeks the woman again returned to her husband, telling him that she had been sick at the house of a friend in New York, took her again to his Her husband, believing her, bosom. They came to Brooklyn to reside, and are now living in Atlanti¢ avenue. This, however, is not the first time the lady has left her home. About two years since she ead with a man who was reputed to have considerable money. He soon became tired of her, and gave her a $500 bill to return home with. She probably left Mr. Owen from the fact that he did not have $600 bill to give her. " ‘he Rev. Mr. Ware apologized as wel] as he could for the erring couple, after eg the letter. He said that Mr. Owen, after leaving his home, went to Toronto, Canada, There he relented the step he had taken and sent the lady home. His intention, he said, was to go where he was not known and then send for his wife, making @ full confession to her, but he thought of his church and concluded to return and endeavor to lift the stain from it. The reverend gentleman sald he was glad that Mr. Owen had re- turned and made this frank confession. The name of the lady with whom Mr. Owen eloped is suppressed from prudential reasons at the present time. The affair has caused quite a little sensation in Church ciycles, and has afforded considerable gossip among the members of the Johnson street Methodist Episcopal church. FLIGHT OF A CASHIER Bank of Ireland Robbed of a Large Amount of Money. A reward of $2,500 has been offered by the di- rectors of the Bank of Ireland, in Limerick, for the capture of George Charles Fleury, the late cashier of the bank, who has ab sconded with a large sum of money. The authorities in Ireland, supposing that Fleury had fled to America, have sent the following description of him to Superintendent Kelso, He is about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, of stout build, with light brown hair, cut short, mustache slightly pointed, round, fat face, with @ good ex- pression and good teeth, he walks quickly, with A SLIGHT SWAGGER, and generally wears a light tweed coat. He has strong, thick Iimbs. Fleury left Limerick Junction on the Dublin train on Saturday, March 30, and nothing has since been seen of him. Captain Irv- ing, of the detective force, placed the mat- ter in the hands of Detective Farley, who has been watching every steamer that came into port from Europe since the notice of the gts Bad ad received at Police He snguareers, but up to yesterday Fleury had not arrived in this city. Detective Farley thinks from certain informa- tion he has yee in the case that the cashier has gone to New Orleans, Copies of the man’s de- scription have been forwarded to the police of that city, and there is no doubt he will shortly be on hig way back to Ireland to answer the charges The