The New York Herald Newspaper, August 7, 1873, Page 3

NEW YORK! ‘HERALD, THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1873—TRIPLE SHEET. 3 CHAOTIC SPAIN. Two Herald Correspondents Writing from Madrid and Perpignan. DISINTEGRATION. Cartagena, Aleoy, Barcelona, Mal- aga and Along the Base of the Pyrenees. WANTED, MORE REVOLUTIONS. The Stirring Appeal in Behalf of the Federal Republic. THE SPIRIT OF THE CORTES. Words Against Words---Only the Car- lists and Internationalists Mean Business. PYS ELEPHANT. An Estimate of the Character of Pi y Margall. THE PUNISHMENT OF DEATH. The Tenets of the Intransi- gentes Defined. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS DONE. AS Ball Full Details of the Rising at Cartagena, pe FIRING ON THE MINISTRY OF MARINE, Contrera’s Isolation of the “True Re- public of Iberia.” BATTLE OF ALPENS. MaDRID, July 15, 1873, Cartagena is in rebellion. Alcoy is still smoulder- ing from fires which the rebels kindled, against all jaw, order and decency, within the industrious, happy town. Barcelona is still hesitating whether to proceed to overt acts against the constituted authority or remain quiescent for a few days yonger. There is @ fierce civil war raging from East to West in the Pyrenees, The soldiers are con- fused as to their duties and know not to whom to give obedience. Madrid itself is itching for dis- turbance and disorder, for riot and bloodshed, for barricades and pronunciamentos; and, with all this beiore it, THE CORTES that ever vacillating body of gabbling geese, has mo better occupation than driving the Ministry to throw up their offices, by accusations agaimst their chief, Pi y Margall. THE DECLAMATORY. 1a Justicia Federal, the organ of Suir, the in- transigente Minister of the Colonies, proceeds in in this wise to-day :— “another revolution is pending, ) Near. “Up, Spanish people! Imitate Murcia and Carta- gena. Up, soldiers! Present your guns against the traitors who have commanded you to fire against the sovereign people. “People, one step more, and you are saved, “In these solemn moments must be decided the future of the federal Republic in Spain, of liberty /%n Europe and of democracy throughout the world. “The reactionary elements are all combined against us; they speak of crushing your just aspira- tions, of killing the seeds of liberty planted in the provinces of Andalusia and Murcia. “It is necessary, therefore, that we should resist by all the means in our power. Itis necessary that the Spanish people should show themselves worthy of the liberty which they hope to gain. “Federal republicans of the provinces, federal “republicans of Madrid, forward! and live the federal democratic Republic, with alifta legitimate and natural consequences |”’ The causes leading to this fiery appeal to revolu- tion by La Justicia Federal are summed up as ‘follows :— “We have a government and a Cortes represent- ing the people, it is true, but this government and Cortes employ their time.in plunging the country imto a perpetual crisis and in changing Ministers. “We have a government and a Cortes who make food dearer every day, who kill our credit, who foment the cause of Carlism, who depose | er fail to employ republican generals, chiefs and ofMiciais; who set aside the true federals and conduct us to bankruptcy, social dissolution and chaos; in one word, this government and Assembly which we nave are killing the Republic and dis- gracing the republican name. Fifteen days of such @ state of things, fifteen days of such torpidity, and meaningless effort, and the Republic 1s lost beyond ail hope, “Do you know what is your duty then? We repeat: Cartagena hag given the example; other towns, villages, &c., have foliowed, The people are waiting Sor Madrid.” The manifesto directed yesterday by the miuority Of the Cortes to the army is as iollows:— TO THE SPANISH ARMY. , “The minority of the Constituent Assembly * after some delay has seen the necessity of adaress- ing its friendly voice to you, to warn you to watch and guard well the safety of that happy State which has been the dream of your existence and the doctrines of which we have defended aud sus- tained—the federai Repubdtic, “The enemies of this form of government in ‘Spain are many and powerful, but they are weak ; Mf their machinations which they put in play are not aided by yourselves, if you are determined not to commit the act of suicide. «The federai Republic is, besides, the form of government that the sovereign Cortes has voted asiaw. You must, therefore, see that it is your duty )as soldiers amd patriots, as individuals of tne public force, maintained hy the legality which has miven the nation liberty, and as sons of your \amothers, te defend this form of government. “The political parties which have brought the country into this perturbed state im which we ind ourselves to-day agitate it with restless The hour is activity in order that the soldiers may proclaim ‘with them the ‘unitariam Republic,’ which is the tural vanguard of the advent of Don Alfonso. ' “Soldiers, we who aspire to make the demo- Veracy pl Spain perve asp model to the ciyilized peoples oy evincing our respect for rational laws may not counsel you under the federal Re- public otherwige than to exhibit the most resolute front against the Carlist hosts, to suffer patiently the fatigues of war and to OBBY YOUR CHIEFS with the same readiness you show in time of peace. “But should any officer, military or civil, from the highest to the lowest of any of those who have relations with yourselves, request you to raise your arms to the ery af “ Live the unitarian Re- public!” “Live Don Alfonso de Borbon!’’ or any cry different from that of “Live the federal Re- public!” answer bim, answer immediately, but only with the mouths of your rifles. “eon live the “federal democratic Repub- ie Tt isin this sense—this fery, denunciatory kind of language, appealing and threatening alternately— that people speak to ane another now. Intranai- gentes minorities of the Cortes, Centres and Lefts or Centres and Rights, moderate or conservative republicans, Carlists, liberals, Alfonsistas, Sagas- tinas, Serranistas and a host of parties and frac- tions of parties speak most windily and brag most loudly, Only . INTERNATIONALISTS AND CARLISTS act. But what does the government do? Persons con- cerned with the President, Pi y Margail, speak of him as the coming man, but I confess I have not perceived indications of greatness in him. A man can never be considered a coming man unless he demonstrates by some act or otherwise his capa- bility. The whiff of grapeshot with which Na- poleon the Great crushed the mob that menaced the Assembly demonatrated to France that he could act on an occasiop, Perhaps Pi y Margall could demonstrate his fitness for government by some energetic act of a simtlar nature, and £ feel assured that Spain at large would applaud him if ne could, He has asked the suspension of the constitu- tonal guarantees, but with what object? This suspension of constitutional decrees, which he so much craved, is PI's ELEPHANT. ‘Ths suspension was granted; but now he knows not what todo with it, for he finds out, though late, that it is an onerous responsibility—so great, indeed, that he 18 not able to support such a change ; and {suppose that, alter a little more of this howl- ing of the mad muititudes, the consequences will be that Pi will leave his elephant to take care of himself while he will decamp @ la Figueras. We—foolishly enough, perhaps—thought that after a suspension of the guarantees traitors and disturbers of the peace—Communists and Carlists— were to be summarily dealt with by court martial; but a Deputy the day before yesterday inadvertently probed the depth of determination the Ministers had arrived at by requesting them to state to the Cortes what they meant by visiting upon evil doers the extreme penalty of the law. Upon which a Min- ister rose to explain. “We mean,” said he, ‘to hand them over to the tribunais of justice, to be dealt with as the law decides, which will probably punish them on conviction with a long term of im- prisonment. THE PUNISHMENT OF DEATH has been erased from our laws, and we cannot con- sent to visit our coreligionist with such a fearful penalty, which is contrary to the spirit of the nineteenth century.” The Minister (Sufier) of the Colonies also rose up, and said he would never consent to sign his name to a paper ordering the execution of his friends, the insurrectionists of Cartagena, either as Minister or Deputy, which statement, as might be expected, was received by the Cortes with pro- found astonishment. It is this reckless statement of Sufier’s which is the cause of the present Ministerial crisis. Of what fraction or fractions the next govern- ment will consist no one knows, but there area thousand suppositions floating about. It may pos- sibly be resolved by Castelar forming a Ministry from the conservatives and reformers, or, in other words, the right and centre; but it is doubtfui, as Castelar is known to have said to a friend that for him to take office would be political suicide, But if Castelar will not take the responsibility who is there besides Pi? With Pi y Margall the condition of the country will be the same, no matter whom he selects. Jt is possible that some indomitable intransi_ gente may arise and seat himself and fellows in power, as Castelar and Figueras seated themselves upon the apdication of Amadeus. No government 1s secure which omits to make the intransigentes a party to it. I do not Know whether, after the hundreds of letters you have received about Spanish politics, you know precisely WHAT THE INTRANSIGENTES ARE, If you look upon them as socialists or Internation, alists you are altogether mistaken. They are the extreme republicans, the advanced republicans, or, if you like, ret republicans, without social- istic tendencies. To everything savoring of monarchy and its traditions they are deadly opponents, They wish to see the constitution of the democratic federal Repub- lic. They are iurpatient to behold their ideal realized, and all these disturbances at Cartagena, Malaga and Barcelona arise from their impatience at hearing endless orations, speeches, rectifica- tions, &c, They say by their acts, “Ifwe have a republic, give us a constitution under which we can live, elect a government and stop your gab- bling, make war upon the Carlista and the monarchist factions,” and as an Intransigente paper put it the other day, “all you have done within five months may be embraced under the foliowing heads” :— FOOD FOR REFLECTION, First—You have made many speeches, Second—-You have passed your time in making declarations, promises and fair words, Third—You have changed many Ministries. Fourth—You have made tood dearer and taxed to the uttermost the poor classes, Fisih—You have doubied the imposts. Sizth—You have established the faith in Bour- bonic absolutism. Seventh—You have caused the government money to descend as low as sixteen cents on the dollar. Bighth—You have closed against us the Bx- changes of London, Paris and Amsterdam. Ninth—You bave suspended payment, Tenth—Y ou have increased the public debt, Eleventh—-You have almost bankrupted ns, Twelfth—You view with fear all federais. “> de ppb have deposed loyal republican chiefs, Fourteenth—You have placed the army and our forts in the hands of the eternal enemies of a re- public, Fijteenth—You have menaced the magnanimous people with royalistic armies, Sitteenth—You have sacrificed a Governor of y Depaties representatives of the nty. Seventeenth ‘and last—You have placed a dictator over a goverument which is an entity, When people talk in this manner something is on the tapis;a revolution, a complete and thorongh revolution, must be at hand, and I fear that it ia very near. ‘The history of THB RISING AT CARTAGENA may be given ina few words, On the evening of the 13th inst. Contreras, an able intransigente gen- eral, having left Madrid for that purpose, placed himeelf at the head of the insurreetionists of Car- tagena, and immediately took possession of tne | | quired to defer payment for thirty days instead of arsenal, with its park of artillery, numbering 500 pieces, on the modern system. The casties of Las Galeras, La Atalaya, and San Julian surrendered at once, and soon after the splendid iron-clads Numan- cia, twenty-five guns; Tetuan, forty guns; Victoria, twenty-three guns; Almansa, forty-eight guns; and the steamer Fernando e! Catolico, transport; the corvette Ferolana, the schoolship Blasco de Garay, and the frigate Mendez Nufiez, declared for the insurrectionists. The total number of forces under Contreras consist of the Iberian regi- ment, a battalion of Cazsdores, a battalion and a half of marines, 100 arsenal guards, volunteers and sailors, nearly 6,000 men. ‘The Minister of Marine arrived at Cartagena on the 14th, and, as he went in @ boat to the Almansa, he was challenged by an officer, and replying that he was the “Minister ofthe Navy,” was fired Upon trom on board, which caused him te retreat precipitately. On attempting to board the Vic- toria he was treated in the same way, and finally Was compelled to return to Madrid. At present Contreras has it all hisown way, He has been made President of the Canton of Murcia, while Galyes Arce bas been mage Generalissimo under him, Independent Marcia will form a sepa- rate Assembly, which will be the means, it is said, of saving the principles and the honor of the true Republic of Iberia, He has cansed all communica- tion with the rest of the Peninsula to be cut of, railroads destroyea, bridges and tunnels to be blown up, Within, the city of Cartagena presenta cene of the greatest disorder. The sailors and soldiers indulge in & grad debauch. Musrule is king paramount throughout every street, A thou- sand dissensions have already sprung up between the leaders, and, while Genegal Velarde is outside the city with 3,000 loyal mea, @ new danger men- faces the insurrectionists from the miners, About ten thousand of them, it ia said, are marching upon the insurrectionists to give them battle, because the disturbances in the city plunge the miners into penury and want, ag they must cease york, gpd in the meanwhile their families must lack bread. In two or three days more will be decided what Madrid wili do, and it is the duty of us all to watch ‘and be on the alert. Long before you get this let- ter the telegraph will nave conveyed to you what has been done, THE BATTLE OF ALPENS. Further and Later Details—Splendid Courage of the Prince’s Zouaves—The Banner of the Sacred Heart—Capture ef the Town of Baza without Resist- ance, PERPIGNAN, July 19, 1873. The late battle of Alpens continues to occupy the minds of the Carlisi volunteers and their friends, while it/is probable that their enemies likewise haye not given up talking and thinking about it. Tam in receipt of a letter from a particular friend who took part in the battle, who gives some addi- tional details. Alot of other correspondence from the Prince’s headquarters, oficial and private, has also been received, nearly all of which is devoted to details of that most important victory, All accounts agree that THE VICTORY was achieved by the Prince’s Zouaves, who behaved with extraordinary courage. The following par- ticulars, though differing somewhat from those I have already furnished, will be read with interest :— Al three o’elock in the afternoon o! the 9th the Prince ana General Saballs left Alpens by the San Boy road and halted at about a league from Pierra- fita, There the news reached them that Cabrinetty had marched from Prats de Liusanés toward Alpens. A council of war was held, in which Saballs expressed himself in favor of retiring to San Quirce, but the Prince proposed to return to Alpens and offer battle, This latter proposal was adopted. There was no time to lose. Three companies of Auguet’s battalion were ordered to double quick, so as to reach Alpens before the evening. They arrived in time to see Cabri- netty entering at one end of the town, while they rushed in at the other and hastily barricaded them- | selves in some houses, whence they commenced firing. It was then about half-past six o’clock P.M. Cabrinetty’s men succeeded in entrenching themselves in some houses, According as the other | Carlist forces arrived they were posted so as to in- tercept all ingress or egress from the town by the Ripoll, San Boy and Prats roads, They were or- dered to approach the town gradually, so as to make their fire more effective upon the houses occupied by the enemy. In this manner the batule continued till about eleven o’clock P, M., when THE ZOUAVES resolved to storm one o/ the houses, They ad, vanced at a run, but were checked by a tremendous discharge of musketry. There was & moment’s hesitation, Commandant wig seized the banner from its bearer, threw it over We low roof into the courtyard of the building, and crying Vive le Sacre Ceur! dashed at the main entrance, followed by his brave Zouaves. They speedily broke down the door, entered pell-meli, recovered their flag and went at the astonished soldiers with their bayonets, In 4 very few minutes the house and all init, to the nuinber of three hundred men, were captured. When these had been all disarmed Commandant Wills announced his intention of taking all the remaining houses in the same manner. He kept his word 80 far as the next house was concerned, where tne Zouaves made 150 prisoners. By this time some one discovered the dead body of Cabrinetty, and the news having reached the de- fenders of the other houses they commenced de- serting in groups and giving themselves up. At half-past eleven the firing had sensibly diminished, although it did not cease altogether till about two o'clock A, %, the Bureuit of the fugitives being kept up till that hour, Very few escaped. The wise ones surrendered. Those less wise endeavored, generally in vain, to get through the circle of fire and steel surrounding the town. On the morning of the 10th we buried 209. We found seventy wounded, whom we cared for. We took, besides 800 prisoners, more or less, two pieces of cannon, forty-two horses, twenty-seven mules, @ considerable quantity of ammunition of ali kinds and a large amount of money. THE CARLIST LOSS is incredibly small, You will believe me with dim- culty when I assure you we lost only five men killed and had only twelve wounded, Looking at this victory from a political as well a8 a military point of view it must be regarded as big with results, Asa victory itis the most bril- lant and complete as yet gained. In Cabrinetty the enemy—or by whatever other name our oppo- | sique and splendid business qualifications. SWINDLING EXTRAORDINARY Expose of the Real Estate Opera- tions of C. M. Leslie, PHILADELPHIA IN A FERMENT Hundreds of People Ruined—How the Swindler Amassed a Million of Dol- lars—Leslie a Fugitive and Of for Europe PHILADELPHIA, August 6, 1878. It is seldom that the peopte of tnis city have been go excited as they were last evening over the ex- posé of the great frauds in the office of the Re- corder of Deeds, It is a subject that affords food for intenee alarm in every circle to-day, and is vital to the interests of every owner of real estate throughout this great city. The frauds have been performed so systematically and in such a surprising and successful manner that but few individuals who have purchased prop- erty of late years can eel safe until hus or her title has been searched thoroughly by hands whose integrity is undoubted. The rumors concerning the swindle were go startling and con- flicting late at night that it was a matter of impos- sibility at the time when the HgRALD’s exclusive account was prepared for any one to approach within hundreds of thousands of dollars the exact figure which the alleged conspirator, Leshe, had succeeded in obtaining from his victims. At one time it was placed at over a million dollars, another moment it was seven hundred thousand, and finally it was settled that his fraudulent transactions amounted to $360,000, This morning these figures have been considerably reduced, and 1t will be weeks yet be- fore the whole is made known, and even then it may far exceed the calculations of those who are now at work examining the records. The Recor- der’s office in Chesnut street has been thronged throughout the day with anxious property owners who have had dealings with Leslie. It was painful to,watch their movements, Some have given up in despair, and a settled feeling of ruin seems to abide with them. They have loitered around in knots of twos and threes, with the title deeds of their property in their hands, many of which have, as ts alleged, been manipulated disas- trously for their interests by Lesiie, and discuss the matter; others, more excitable, rush frantically here and there, vainly demanding that Leslte be given over to them for summary execution, while dozens fly around the law offices of Third and Fourth streets, consulting legal gentlemen as to the best means for obtaining redress. One poor German, who lost $4,000 through the alleged mis- representations and fraud of Leslie, was so violent in his DENUNCIATION OF THE SWINDLB that he had to be carried away by an officer, and was evidently insane, Many ladies were also present, looking after their interests, and were greatly excited. In fact, it wasasort ofa “Black Friday” for property owners, and will long be re- membered in this city. ©. M, Leslie, the alieged originator and chief worker in the swindling scheme, isanative of this city and ts aman of ae Bay le has for years been one of the largest dealers in real | estate of every description that Philadelphia has produced, and his yearly sales have in times past reached hundreds of thousands 0! dollars, Exactly how and when he commenced his nefarious busi- ness is at present unknown, but it onjectured i he began three years ago, It is said that to successfully accomplish Nis designs it became necessary for him to form intimate relations with the clerks of the Recorder's office. This was during the aaministration of Mr. Hous- man. His succe: in this respect was only too flattering, as the result proves, His previous sterling integrity and unblemished repu- tation as aman of honor gained him the goodwill of not only the Recorder but the search clerk, and, as he was a irequent visitor to the office on busi- Uo lel Leaks ptt to his profession, he began to be regarded almost as a tixture and was rendered every facility in SEARCHING FOR TITLES OF ENCUMDERED PROPERTY. At last, having become involved Hea ON, through uniortunate speculations, it is supposed that he resorted to this huge and ingenious mode of swin- dhing as the af means by which to clear his in- deptedness, and atter he had been adjudged a ber in the courts he more assiduously culti- vated his acquaintance in the Recorder's office. His mode of operations were so nicely planned that no suspicions were entertained of pertiag, f being (wrong, and the search clerk, by being feed, as is alleged, allowed him to make his own searches for encumbrances on all properties, and when he had fixed them to suit himsel!, Would afmix the seal of the Recorder to the same, asif he, the clerk, had personally made the examination. In this manner Leslie 1s alleged to have disposed of hundreds of lots of ground that were heavily encumbered to parties, and produc- ing a “clear certificate,’ under the Recorder's seal, disposed of them at “great profit to himself,” He had made himself such an authority on real es- tate encumbrances and transfer matters that his experience and advice were sought by people of every grade. During the peat three years he was a heavy operator as a builder, and erected on speculation large rows of vat et oP atte some of which have created a great deal of attention by their beautiful locations d superb designs. Among the properties he thus speculated in was one known as “St, Albans,’?§ The ground on which | it was erected was en by him at a price of nearly a quarter of a milliidh oj dollars, tor which he gave heavy purchase rhoney mortgages, and nents may be called—have lost not only the ablest | and most energetic of their officers, but the only one who could inspire his troops with something like good discipline and an esprit decorps. He was the only one, at least in Catalonia, who | succeeded in galvanizing into life a portion of the late Spanish army. His place cannot be filied, for there is no time now to do it. On the 10th the Prince and Princess returned to Ripoll, where a solemn 7e Deum was chanted and @ high mass celebrated in thanksgiving for this | signal and remarkable victory. A temporary altar was placed immediately outside the principal en- trance to the church, Their Highnesses and Gen- eral Sabalis occupied places on a raised dais, while the victorious army was drawn up below. THE LIFE INSURANCE POLICY BILL. Governor Dix’s Reasons for Refasing to Give it His Signature—An Enactment in Conflict with Commercial Punctu- ality. ALBANY, N. Y., August 6, 1873. Inquiry having been made as to the reasons for Governor Dix withholding his signature from the | bill regulating the forfeiture of life insurance policies, he states them as follows ina letter to Colonel John W. Dix, his private secretary :— First.—The bill gives the insured thirty days to | pay after the premium is due, and virtualiy de- prives the insurer for that period of time oi tie use of the money to which be is entitled. Second.—It wathorizes the payment of premiums to be made by matling a certified bank check, arait or Post Office money order, thus opening a iruitful source of controversy and misrepresentation, and throwing the whole inconvenience arising irom de- lay or miscarriage on the insurer. Third.—There is no good reason why a particu- lar class of institutions should be singled out for these harsh, and, as | think, unreasonable exac- tions, If it be said that they are incorporations deriving prefitabie privileges from the laws, the answer is that banks stand on the same footing, and the latter might with equal propriety be re- the three days’ grace now allowed, and to receive money becoming due to them by certified checks, &c., sent through the mails. The same observa- tions are equally applicable to fire insurance com- panies, Fourth,—The bill is an enactment in conflict with the universal and essential rule of commercial and financial punctuality, which may just as easily be adhered to in this case as in the case of any other class of moneyed transactions; and in a com- munity so iargely engaged as ours in mer- cantile business it should be the aim of legisiation, if it interieres at all, to maintain the rule in all cases, instead of relaximg it im any; and finally, matters of this kind may better be left to agreement of the parties, like all other subjects of contract, as the competition between insurance companies of every description im the extension of their bnsimess will always induce them to make the most-favorable terms with their customers, THB NEW SAN FRANCISOO MINT, San FRANCIECO, Cal., August 6, 1873. Mr. Mullet, the Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department, is dissatisfied with the | erty thus manipulated by Leslie tor sale. manner in whieh the contractor for the new Mint im this city bas periormed his work, Fraud is charged under the contract for furnishing stone and otuer materials. It is believed & investiga tiog will be ordercd, then subdivided the ground into numerous lots. A SERIES OF HOKUS-POKUS CONVEYANCING through “dummies,” a ground rent, having a prin- cipal of $2,500, was saddled to each of them. Tius part nicely fixed, and having placed the operation in the usual manner of “bonus” building transac- tions, he is alleged to have laid his first great base work for fraud. To make success doubly sure, he put a second encumbrance on all of the lots named, and just here the same “dummy” which had acted as ground landlord turned up, this time, however, appearing in the role of mort- gagee to the amount of twenty-five hundred dol- lars to thirty-five hundred dollars on each prop- | erty. Like the ground rents, the mortgages were | presumably without consideration and ne money passed. Thus the encumbrances on the properties exceeded their value. Consequently he either sold them outright ata heavy discount, or the ground rents, being real estate, were themselves mort- gaged or the ete were placed out as col- lateral for loans, Vishing still farther to in- crease the usefulness of the lots, additional “coliaterais” on the same by getting | “clear certificates” from the Recorder's office as he nad done hundreds of times betore, and none but he was the wiser, with the possibie exception of the clerk, whose duty it was to do the searching and for which the Recorder is allowed a certain fee by law. To make the swindle the more complete and plausible to the dupe it was requisite that the | existence of one set of these claims against the properties should be concealed and searches clear of second encumbrances be presented in proper shape and accepted by the lenders and the money on the third liens paid over. Such was , THE SYSTEM PRACTISED BY LESLIE. No doubt the head of many a family will awaken ere the week closes to the knowledge that the homestead for which he has wrougnt has beeg encumbered for far more than its intrin- sic value by a heartless knave who is to-day a wan- | derer on the face of the earth, with a load ot sin resting on his soul that none but a flend incarnate could carry, At last, a8 in almost every case of fraud, the whole long string of knavery was orought to light by the Sherif, who advertised some of the prop- Carefal searches Were made by mortgagees this time, and the result was the great tumult and a tnmbling in real estate. The present incumbent, Mr. Walton, was called upon by the HERaLp representative this morning, who, after waitin; some time for the rush to subside, was enablec to have @ short talk with him’ as regards | tne frauds. The Recorder appeared to be per- jectly astounded at the alvogether sudaen and unexpected dénouement. As for Leslie, he c! sidered him @ very shrewd man, but he never en- tertained the idea that he was the scoundrel that it would appear he 18, He could give no definite estimate as to the amount of the irauds, but said it was large. All of this had been carried on pre- vious to his election to office, and he thought it strange indeed that his predecessor could have been so blinded to the real situation as to permit @ man, it made no difference how respectable he was, to make his own searches in the office, write them out himself and have the seal of the office attached without the Recorder lookin, over them. Since he had been in office he said that Leslie had approached kim, and made propo- sitions to the effect that if allowed to make his own searches he would make it all right. ‘To this proposition an answer was given him in the nega- tive, and Leste left seemi im an angry mood, it Lc | bs Ahan | yet before AMOUNT OF SWINDLE would be made public. The Whole affair looked bad, and he feit seriously for the name of the ye As UR. % he avended oan every facility h is po towar information to th public cone the fatter. In y iotessent the responsibility undoubtedly rested with ex-Re- corder Hoveman, Hg might pot have been aware he raised | §' of the frauds being practised, yet tne Recorder, a8 @ sworn oMcer of the overnment, could be sued and made respensible for all losses, Itis now understood that measures to that end are being prepared, and Mr. Housman may be no- tifled at any moment. Already J, H. Stevenson, counsel for one of Leslie's victims, proposes to test this question at once, and has already opened le; Reaes jations with Mr, Housman’s counsel, Mr. J. 2, The Sheriff on Monday sold seventy-five lots of Lesite’s at low prices. During the day the city nas been scoured in every direction for Mr. Leshie, but it now transpires that he has satled for Europe, but in all probability will be intercepted at Liver- pool. He left this city with but $350 in gold, and many who are intimat acquainted with him are Of the opinion that his is deranged. Numbers of perso: “TAKEN IN AND DONE FOR”? are members of the loan and building associations throughout the city, and they are raising a great outcry. On every hand and hourly fresh victims gre turning up, and the cry is “Still they come |” ‘The effect on the real estate market has been dis- astrous, as people Roeiriaa > urchase property are holding back until the whole thing is cleare Business men look upon the swindle with ‘1m, asthe wholesale tampering with the recerds and the seal is & matter that ts almost beyond their comprehension. It appears by the record that Les- He has realized within a few years past somethin Itke @ million of dollars by his transactions in real ete, and it is not known what he has done with this large amount, His fmily are still in this city, and appease to feel deeply the humiliation caused ie exposé. The clerk in the Recorder’s Office, with whom Leslie was so in- timate, is on hand, but declares that he ts innocent of any collusion with the alleged swindler, and professes a willingness to vindicate his innocence whenever require It 18 @ curious case on the whole, and it remains to be seen what disposition will be made of it by the Legal Department of the COLORED MEN IN COUNCIL. Seventeen Sable Delegates in Convention at Saratoga— Governor Warmoth’s Opinion of Them—A Permanent State Organization To Be Effeeted. SaRatooa, August 6, 1873, Among the most distinguished guests here at present, in the opinion of the waiters at all the hotels, are the delegates to the Colored Conven- tion, which opened its sessions in the Town Hail this afternoon. ‘The delegates from Louisiana, who have come all the way from their homes and of}- cial snuggeries to give the New York negroes full and accurate information as to how they succeed in keeping control of affairs down there, are the lions of the occasion, Burch and Barber, two noted black politicians from New Orleans, are here also, but they pretend that they have coms “JIST FOR PLEASURE AND TO GIT THE WATERS ;” but everybody knows this is all bosh, It is gene- rally understood that they have been sent up as special envoys of Governor Kellogg so to fix things in the Convention that the Governor will be alluded to in @ handsome manner, due and official note of which is to be sent to Washington instanter, Imet Governor Warmoth en the Congress Hall Piazza just as I was making my way toward the ‘Town Hall to see what kind of a gathering there was to be of our new friends and allies in the great political circle of the Empire State, and asked him what the Convention imtended to do, Now the Governor isa een and, as he heard the question, he raised bis eyebrows to an altitude that almost brought the inside rim of his hat down to a level with his nose, and exclaimed, “What Convention?” “Why, the Colored Convention, that is to meet at the Town Mall this afternoon.’’ “f{ haven’t heard anything about it; didn’t know there was to be any such Convention.” I then explained (just as il the Governor needed any explanation about fhe matter) how colored delegates were in town {fom the various districts of Sue State, and how DELKGATES FROM LOUISIANA were to be on hand; and | then added :— “| certainly believed you could give me some in- formation about what they intend to do at least.’ “Well,”’ satd he, abandoning his air of total igno- Tance, “I don’t know whatthey are going to do. I met Burch and Barber yesterday, bat they tell me they do not come here for any political purpose ; but I don’t believe a word of that. I guess their object, anyhow, 18 to get Off some speeches and have them published in the papers for effect.” “learn, Governor,” I here remarked, “that the Convention will take a decided stand in one re- spect—that many of the blacks think they ought to GET UP A COLORED PARTY, in fact, cut loose from the republican party and get along on their own hook.” “Don’t you believe it,” was the answer. “These hegro politicians are devilish smart fellOws, and they can see as far ahead as the smartest politi- cian in the'country. They know what is best tor their interests, aud they will take no such step.” “{ don’t suppose,” | remarked, laughingly, “ihat they will make ‘CESARISM’ & part of the legitimate discussion in the Conven- tion, or that they will in their platform, if they should adopt one, take any decided grounds for or against the idea?” Well,” replied the Governor, as he moved of, “they will endorse Cesarism if they think Graut would like it, that’s all.’” This ended my little talk with the Governor, and I wended my way to the Town Hall, fully prepared to see @ great many distinguished men and heur a great deal of eloquent speech making. A FIZZLE AND ADJOURNMENT. The Convention was called to order by W. HB. Johnson, of Albany, Chairman of the State Com- mittee. "0. C. Gilbert, of Saratoga, was chosen Chairman, and E. V. Cato, of New York, secretary. Amotion to form a permanent organization for the year was strenuously opposed by W. H. John- son and as strongly urged by William H. Butler, of New York. Afier a prolonged debate the motion was carried, and the Convention adjourned to meet in New York city October 2, Seventeen dele- gates were present. THE YELLOWSTONE EXPEDITION. ovie-aebeeore Important Results Achieved=The Yel. lowstone River Navigable to the Big Horn—Progress of the Survey. YELLOWSTONE RIVER, } Via BIsMARcK, D. T., August 6, 1873. § Yesterday afternoon, while the expedition was en route from Camp Pearson, the base of supplies, which it left on the 27th ult., to the mouth of Pow- der River, there to take up the Jine of survey, a scout brought intelligence to General St ley of the arrival of the Josephine, and that she was coming up the Powder River with the mails. A detachment of cavalry, with Colonel Baker, Chief Quartermaster, waa sent out to meet her this morning, which they succeeded in doing before boon, at this point, seven miles above Powder River, and this entire com- mand is now within si iles of the river, The Josephine has thus su ed in traversing the Yellowstone River seven miles nearer its source than did General Forsyth in the Key West last Spring, and Colonel’ Ludiow, of the En- ineers, who is on board, gives it as his opimion that the fiver is navigabie as faras the Big Horn, situate some two hunared miles jurther up stream, Littie has transpired since I wrote, The road nas thus far been poor, being principally bad lands, but a8 far as can be seen from here the Vatiey of the Yellowstone is a fine, nearly level prairie, and the engineers will make good progress. The river | 18 as deep and wide here as at Camp Pearson, seven- ty-seven miles below, Ali connected with the com- maud are weil. DIAN MURDERS. + Two Ladics Killed in Wyoming Ter- ritory—A House Robbed=Troops Sent Out in Pursuit of the Savages. ATLANTIC CiTY, WYOMING TERRITORY, July 29, 1873. On the 24th of July a party of Indians made an attack upon the settiement at Old Camp Brown, thirty-five miles jrom this place. They killed Mrs. shametully. Miss Hall, @ cousin of Mrs. Richards, was mortally wounded and died about eleven o'clock at night. There were no men near the house at the time the attack was made, and the savages had it all their own way, They robbed the house, carrying away several valuable articles, and drove off ail the horses and cattie that were near at hand, Upon receiving intelligence of the outrage, Co- lonel A, G, Brackett, Second cavalry, commanding at Camp Stambaugh, two miies {rom this place, sent Out a company Of cavalry, under command of First Lieutenant James N. Wheelan, to overtake the Indians, if possible, and punish them. There is little doubt but the soldiers are now on the trail. Mrs. Richards was a native of Vermont, and was highly respected in the community where she lived. She had resided in Wind River Valley over toree yeara, her house being near the banks of the Po-po-agie River, a tributary of that stream, BLOODY FRAOAS IN KENTUCKY. LovisvILiR, August 6, 1873, In Warren county, Ky., last Monday, a general fight occurred, in which William Shives was shot through the arm. Constable Howard, while at- tempting to stop the fight, was stabbed twice by William Lark, one of the contestants, Another constable, named Wright, struck Lark in the tore- head with a@ rock, inflicting # wound from the effects of which Lark died that night, Howard's wounds are not necessarily fatal, Richards, and alter she was dead abused her body | CENTENNIAL, Meeting of the Executive Commit- tee in Philadelphia; SUBMITTED. THE PLANS Speculations Concerning the Action of the Com- mittee—Enthusiasm of the People— Everything Centennial in the Quaker City. i PHILADELPHIA, August 6, 1873. ‘The Executive Committee of the American Cen- tenntal Exposition heid thelr meetings yesterday @nd to-day with closed doors,and hence no one‘ whether a private individual or really a member of some local committee, has had any means of ascer- taining the questions discussed in that Board, or of Minding out aot what definite conclusions the honorable gentlemen have arrived. Hence all statements which have already been announced regarding any measure adopted by this committee may be considered as ill-advised and premature, and im this same light should be set aside any statement which may be made for several days yet tocome. A great many rumors have been set afloat that this plan or chat plan had beea tavoru- bly regarded by THE COMMITTEE UPON ARCHITECTURE and that several members of the Board have pud- licly expressed a positive admiration for the “pa vilion” and certain other designs; but such is not at all the truth, at least as far as the originators of these rumors could in any way prove, for tue committee has thos far made no statement whatever, and hence these rumors touching any plans which have already found their way to the metropolitan press have been entirely un- authorized, and may very properly be looked upon as puny attempts to prejudice the committee ip the direction of specified designs, which either may or may not possess suilicient merit to include them among tue.first ten, All that your correspondent or the . corre spondent of any other journal knows 4s that the committee have. met ana hada long and iterest- ing session, and that they meet again at ten in the morning. ‘This is ai, What was the character of the questions involved, or how many of the ten prize doalgns have even now been selected, no one can tell. ‘The committee must, asa matter ofcourse, act with mature deliberation, and with most discrimi- nating judgment, There ave jorty-iour plans, and in many of them can be found very commendavie features. Each one of the ten — selected receive @ prize of $1,000 each; hence it is that it becomes the duty of the Board, out of simple justice to the architects, to render their decision carelully, that it may not show auy partiality to thoce artists whose names have by some means become Known, ani that it may not painfully conflict with that selection which has been already publicly announced by many who were able and competent to make it, THE DIFFICULTY OF SELBCTING A PLAN, It wiil, indeed, be a diMcult matter to et ten from the large number already in the hands of the Board, whose excellence will entitie all of them to the prize stated above, because, while there are ten in which a few excellent ideas are embodied, there are not ten whose external and internal arrangement render them = eligible = com- petitors, This opinion if not my own, but may be looked upon as the general one, so that no one need be surprised should the com- mittee award the prize to five or six designs in- stead of ten. ‘To begin at No. 1 and continue the description through No, 44 would be a iaborious, indeed a thankless task, and one which I shall not even attempt. When the prize selections have been rendered it will then be time enough to present a few architectural details, as well as the comparative excellence of the few designs submitted. 1 sincerely believe, however, that the faulty internal arrangements of the Austrian bufiding will render all plans modéHed after it to meet with positive uisiavor, and that the circular or THE HORSESHOE DESIGN has already proved itseli to be so excellent that it must, in the construction of the Centennial build~ ing, win the day, In my letter thus far [ have simply tried toshow the nationality of this affair, and also thatits ultimate success rested entirely in the hands of the people at lurge. 1 have evaded giving any description of local enthusiam, but now I believe that by bringing this turor tn behali of Centennial interests, Which 18 seen upon almost every inch of ground in the Quaker = City similar excitement migat easily be created in other sections. Jt Pennsylvania patriotism could only be rendered universal such an exhibition as would be developed from it, would Jorever remain alone in history as the grandest and most signal achievement oi all tim: itis Ce. tennia! all over here. Everything is Centennial. The first thing you see upon entering this city by the Pennsylvania Railroad is a great sign outside the Fairmount Park, anuouncing that directly un- der it is a Centennial ice cream saloon, This sigu is stupendous and can be read at a distance o! halfa mile. Coming through the city we see a hundred other Centennial ice cream saioons, along with Centennial beer shops, Centennial cigar stores, Centevpiial bowling alleys, Centennial bar- ber shops, Centennial billiard saloons and Centen- nial lodging houses. Almost every store at night displays @ transparency, and upon it we always read, in one form or another, Cente nial. Sometimes we simply see the sig- nificant figures 1776-1876; or else we read “PROCLAIM LIBERTY,’ or some other phrase, any one of which in an ine stant calls to mind that grand and glorious day, which, while seeming 80 lar remote, is realiy approaching us with rapid strides. On, let it find us ready! Let it find us in peace, prosperity and union! The elaborate manner in which this idea is sometimes expressed 14 really wonderful. There is a clothing store upon Market street, the proprietor of which, i his name is not national, ts most assuredly not personally to blame, and up to a recent date the outside wall of this store bore a very curious picture. It repre- sented a “Cunarder” battung waves, reeling and plunging in the midst of « dan- gerous sea, while upon the deck was @ large humber of boxes and bales bearing the name of the firm, and indicating, of course, that they were the largest importers in the conntry. Allat once the picture was painted out. “Ah!'? cried some, “the owners are going W make a new picture, in which, instead of a Cunarder, the glorious American steamer Pennsylvania will find a place.” But the owners did no such thing. John Hannamaker hat too good an understanding of the future to do this, and so, instead, the outside wall bears the exact picture of the old house which occupied its present site in seventeen hindred and something, along With another quaint old concern about which cluster Revolutionary recollections, and which, of course, point to nothing else than the here ail-absorbing theme—Centennial. If you enter a clothing house you must have come of course for & with monstrous A CENTENNIAL COAT, If yon enter @ hatter’s you can’t go out until you have seen a Centennial hat. Ifyou go ior & pair oi shoes you must have them made over @ pate Centennial last. If you want to smoke belo retiring it must be a cigar of the Centennial bran and if you arise in the morning with @ sour stomach you are told that you need a Centennial punch, which you drink over @ Centennial bar, by means of @ recently invented Centennial tube, The bootblacks who throng around you In the street all vehemently insist that the Centennial bogey Will produce the best shine, and that ail other blacking is of no account. ‘The police will adopt a Centennial unitorm, & stock company are considering the propriety of | putting up a Centenniat hotel, aud thit great daily paper soon to be staried here, whose stock of $250,000 is said to be already sold, can of course have no other name than “The Centennial.” I am not exaggerating these things; they are true, and just an ho Hnished eating a piece of Centennial pie At Cape May itis the same. Centennial bath houses, bar- rooms, walks, drives, bouquets, bonnets, parasols, phaetons, even flirtations—the name is applied to a love affair not likely to culminate until about the time of the Centennial Axhibition itself, ORNTENNIAL ENTHUSIASM. So reaily it is, and, as [ said above, if this en. thusiasm can enly sweep the country—indved, 16 is gradually extending its range—what 4 glorious era will come! Meanwhile let us patiently wait for this action of the committee, now so earnestly at work; for when ground is broken for the build- ing then it fs that the people will see thuse signs of hfe and energy which have thus far been evident only in the offices of the commissioners. It 1s a feeling of gratitude that swells up from the heart of the looker on as he recognizes among the Hxecutive board several who were Generals in the Southera army, holding close and affectionate intercourse with others who, by virtue of their birth and sentiments, were their foes and enemies in war; and the beholder feels, too, that this bringing together of different sec- tions in sympathy, goodwill and peace is not the least of the benefits which the Centennial will bring about, DROWNED WHILE BATHING, BRIDGEPORT, Conn,, August 6, 1873. Jeremiah Tobin, @ young man, twenty-four years of age, was drowned, while bathing, off Seu Silo Park, last evening. The deceased was a wative of Ireland, where his parents still reside, and hac no relations, as far as could be ascertained, in tut country. The body Was recovered Wiiaw aa hyve ailer drowling,