The New York Herald Newspaper, November 24, 1873, Page 4

NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1873—TRIPLE SHEET. MAP OF RUSSIAN ASIA. Route of the Herald Correspondent Moving on Khiva with the Military Expedition of General onment of Caucausus 400 Miles Dets k 70 EHIVA--NO. 4. Battle Between the Troops of the Czar and the Khan. CAPTURE OF A KHIVAN FORT | Kuiva, Sept. 1, 1! I had now been seeking Kau/mann 29 days. I had started from Fort Perovsky in the full conf- Hence of overtaking him in five days at the ut- most. I expected to find him at the well of Myn Boolak, in the Bookantan Mountains, but before reaching there I learned, from undoubted author- Ity, that he was not there and would not be there, but that I would find him at Tamdi, 100 miles east Of that point and 200 west of Tashkend. I changed my route accordingly, but the next day I learned trom a caravan that Kau/mann was not at Tamdi, but at Aryistan-pil-Koovook. 1 started for that oint, which I could not find on any of my maps, ut had not proceeded more than 50 miles when I learned from some native guides whom I met, and avho had been in the employ of the Grand Duke Wicholas, that Kaufmann was not at Aryistan-bil, Dut at Karak-at. his point I found on Ble map and changed my route accordingly. But again I learned from some Kirgheez that he was mot at Karak-ati, but at Kuala-ata, another point *which was not on my map, and again J changed my course, this time crossing a trackless desert for a distance of 100 miles, where there was not a cara- wan route, nor even a sheep path, arriving at last at Knala-ata, tired and worn out, to find that Kaul- mann was gone five days, Here again on the Oxus he had disappeared when I was sure of him, as I thought. Would I never find him’ To my excited Imagination, wrought up by the hardships I had undergone, and my own strange wanderings in this unknown land, Kaufmann began to appear like a Phantom, and i half expected to wa up in the Hotel de la Grande Bretagne, at Paris, and find the expedition against Kbiva a myth and my own | Birange adventures a troubled dream. ON THE TRAIL OF THE RUSSIANS. But no; here were the dead ashes of burned out camp fires and the tracks of the cannon. He could not be jar now, and | could see uo indication of bis Qaving crossed the river at this point. There was Dotuing to do but follow his trail, and this was not ditticult, Lrode my horse into the river up to his ‘Deily, scooping the water in my hands to taste it, I dound it muddy, but sweet and good, and decided ‘to stop here to take our morning's tea, as we had eaten notning since tie previous morning but a Jittle black bread and water. All that day we followed the trail of tne army in momentary expectation of catching sight of the fear guard, and all that day we were doomed to disappointment. The trail lea along the bank wf the river in the direction of the Arul Sea, sometimes in the valley along the ‘water's edge, again mounting the pbinfts ‘where they approached the river, and which were from 50a 100 feet high. At one place, where the road lay along the water’s edge, overhung by the ‘bluffs, we were horribly frightened by a camel that came tumbling over the cliff and fei! right among us, with a broken peck, We were relieved, how- ever, when we discovered that he was blind, as it ‘was nothing unusual to see camels leit ny Kaut- mann wandering about alone. My people had even picked up three or four, which they had tried to utilize in order to rest our horses, but had never been able to get them to go more than an hour, When acamel thinks he has gone far enough he ‘won't go any further, and it is time lost to try to prevaiion Lim to go, Jn the afternoon we came ‘upon fields of excellent wheat and clover, which our liorses croppea with avidity—the first clover they had tasted for @ month—and we soon began to make out habitations, or something resembling them, on the other ide of the river, but further down, ‘Then suddenly we met five men on horseback coming @round @ bend of the river, and we seized our arms; but they dashed into the river, swam across 4 scurried off on the other side, in the direction of Khiva, until they were lost in the sand, Judg- |fng that they had no reinforcements near, or they / would not have run away (we were seven to their five), [tried two or three shots at them with my Win- Closter, but without success, however. Later, the j@ulde made ont with my field glass, which I had given him, a group of fifteen or tw enty men, prob- @ur Kuivans, camped aear the river, As whey | outnumbered us we thought prudent to give them awide berth. They were in the valley below and we on the bluffs, with a fleid glass, and had the advantage of seeing them belore they could see us, Striking into the sands we rode a short circuit and cautiously approached the river a few miles further on, It may ve Well to state that, so far as we had gone, the sand | approached the river very closely on either side, the border of green varying from a mile to a few yards in width, Towards nightiall we made out on the other side of the river a group of horsemen, who appeared to be watching us; but they, as well as ourselves, were soon lost in the darkness which | shortly enveloped everything but the pale and ghastly river. And still there were no signs of Kautmann, except in one or two places, where we haa seen the signs of more camp fires, THE MARCH IN THE NIGHT. We continued our course througn the darkness, gilding over the yielding sand as silently as ghosts. | Our nerves were strung to the utmost pitch of ex- pectation; for, in truth, the situation was becom- | ing criticalin the extreme. We had aiready been | Seen twice from the other side, and the smaliness of our force must have been remarked. It Was only a question of crossing the river and find- ing us in the darkness. We were expecting every | Moment to see Kaufmann’s camp fires flaring up | in the darkness, or to hear the “Kto idiote,” (Who goes there‘) of the Russian sentinel. We were now highup on the bluffs overlooking the | river, A dark storm cloud had gathered in the | west, in the direction of Khiva, and seemed to be | hanging over the fated city, throwing out from | time to time ashes of lightning that were reflected | in the pale, ghastly river below, followed by no report, but making the night ten times darker } and more sinister. Gradually we found our way | again into the valley below near the water. Once, | while the guides were on foot leading their | | horses on before, I thought I saw a flash of | | light far in advance, and we stopped and | Waited several minutes to see ifit would reappear. | It did not, however, and I concluded it was only a | phantom of my o wrought imagination. It was now, however, eleven o’clock. Our tired horses | had made 45 miles since daylight, and I decided to | camp. We turned off to the river, gave the horses water anda little barley we had left, and pre- pared to wait till daylight. I tried to get one of my people to stand guard, but although they | Seemed to be fully aware of our danger, they | showed such a disinclination to do it that I saw it was useless to order them, as they would probably sieep on their post, and resolved to keep watch myself, In five minutes they were all sound asleep, each with his horse tied near him, andI was left alone with the murmur of the swiftly moving waters for company. Allnight long until daylight I paced up and down, for I was so sleepy and tired that I could not trust myself to sit down even for a moment. LOOKING OUT FOR KAUFMANN. At daylight we were off again, not having stopped even to take tea, anxiously looking for Kau!mann. We had not gone more than a mile when we came upon a fire stili burning. A Turcoman fire or a Russian fire? that was the question. If a Russian fire, it could only have been an outpost, and in that case the army would be in sight, as the rear- guard would not have yet got into movement. Evi- dently @ Turcoman fire. We continued rapidly forward, keeping @ good lookout until about half an hour after sunrise, when suddenly my ears were grected with a sound that sent the blood coursing through my veins like an electric shock. It was the report of @ cannon, followed by another and Snother and another in quick succession, and, a3 the old music I had heard so much during the Com- mune came rolling up the valley of the Oxus, awakening the long silent echoes, I experienced A thrill of delight that paid me well for my long chase. “Kaulmann at last,’’ I said, “and this time he shall not escape me," FOLLOWING THE CANNON. The river here made a sudden curve of to the left, whereas the cannonade was directly betore us. I decided to ride straight to the cannon and leave the river. Ihad some dimouity in inducing | my people to do this. They were terriviy frighw ened, and, for some unaccountable reason, wished to keep to the river, 1 had dimculty in getting one of them to go with me to the summit of a littie nil to try and make out the position of the contend. ing forces, Our safety was not by any means as- sured; the Turcomans might be between us and the Russians, in which case our position might be enough, The cannonade still continued, and Peared to be about five miles distant. We asc the summit of the first slope and cautiously peered | was another little hill that cut off the view, and | | edge, quietly looking on while two six-pounders | arms ready. They were ail weil armed, having | among them two revolvers, two donble-barrelled | breech-ioading guns and four single shotguns, soirys OO! | Scale of Miles Kaufmann. KARA KOOKMK D\IESERT that far, at least, the coast was clear. We were about pushing on, when five horsemen suddenly came dashing over the hill, and seeing us wheeled off towards the river and dis- appeared, It began to grow exciting. We pushed on as fast as our horses could carry us, but the Sand was so deep and they were so tired that we | could not urge them out of a walk. The cannonade | snddenly ceased. We approached the summit of the hill, which was covered with a short growth of saksavol, and again passed over, This time our eyes were rewarded with a view of something, but not exactly what would have given us the most pleasure. At the distance of about two miles there was @ line of horses right across our path, probably 100 in all, scattered along a line of a mile in length. I could not see any men, 1 bat Monstraf, my Kura-Kalpak guide, who | had advanced with me _ to reconnoitre, assured me he could make out men and | that by their costume they were either Kirgheez or Turcomans, he could not say which, but certainly not Russians. This looked bad. If they were Kirgheez they were friends, but if Turcomans, then, indeed, our position was almost as bad as it weil could be, If they were Turcomans we had three courses before us, ail of which were entirely im- practicable, Go back to Khala-ata—muke a circuit of 10 to 20 miles, through the sand, and get around them, or try to hide until night, and then steal through their lines. Our horses were too feeble to attempt either of the first two plans; we could not urge them ont of a walk, and as to hiding, there was no cover but a few little hillocks, There | Was every probability that we would be discoverea Vetore night. Unfortunately the cannonade had ceased and I could not determine now sar the Russians were nor their exact direction, While deliverating what to do two horsemen suddenly detached themselves from the line and | started towards us, as though they had seen some- thing in our direction and were coming to see what it was, Matters were now coming to a crisis, Retreat was impossible, as there was no cover within two or tree miles that would have tempted a rabbit. l ordered my meu to dismount and aide as weil as they could, and have their loaded with slugs. The trouble was none of them could be counted on to hit anything further than 10 feet, even If they did not ran away, My in- tention was to allow the two Turcomans to ap- proach within 10 yards, kili therm and uf possible | seize their horses, for with one good horse | would have risked reaching the Russians. It would be @& desperate aticmpt, as the rest of them would be down on us as soon as they would hear the report of rearms, and then—but I had no time to think of my further movements. Tne two Turcomans were within 50 yards, coming forward ina very careless manner, as if they suspected the presence ofan enemy. I looked around at my followers to see who I couli count on. Old Ak Mamatem® looked perfectly stolid, as though it were a matter of the utmost indifference to him. I had made life burden to bim by dragging him here, where he had never engaged to go, and the sooner he got rid of it the better. Monstraf looked shaky and the other three uneasy. The only on f them who seemed to be ready for the fray was tle young Kirgneez from Pirousky, As soon as I saw his eye 1 knew I could count on him to the jast. I was lying down among the bushes, with rifle cocked, and kept asking Monstraf every moment if he still thought they were Turcomans, He still whispered “Yes,” until they were within 25 yards, and I was about to pull the trigger when he sprang up, gave 4 siuout and threw up his cap, wild with joy. He had recognizea a Kirgheez and an acquaintance. We shook hands with one another all around, and when the two Kirglieez, who were returning to Khaia-ata, in- formed us that the Russians were only about three miies further on and that they were bombarding a jort across the river, we sprang into onr saddles and pushed on. Jn haif an hour we had reached a hillock on the river bank, from which we had an extensive view of the river and valiey, The Oxus here was about three-qnarters of a@ mile wide, and the opposite bank about 60 feet hign, When 1 arrived on the scene, it Was covered @ little lower down | with horsemen, Who were gulioping about, uttering wild cries, while two pieces of cannon, placed down near the water’s edge, in front of a little fort with embrasures for cannon, were booming away | with mightand main. Looking down the river on around, but could gee nothing, A mile lurther ou may own side | beveld tue Russians, at the distance i | they tore up the earth and knocked the mud walls | going on for about an hour. The Russian shells had | thought bow curiously fortune had favored me, LONGITUDE E4sT 80 FROM GREENWICH of halfa mile, scattored about near the water's were throwing shclis. The Khivan artillery was worked nearly as jast as the Russian, and I was astonished to see that their cannon balls, so far from ailing in the water, as I should have expected at that distance, seemed to plough up the ground right among the Russians, although I could not at the distance see their effect, and some of them, as [ afterwards learned, carried fully a quarter of a mile further, The effect ol the Russian shells was very easily observed as of the little fort into finders. ‘he Khivans stood their ground pretty weil considering the disadvan- tage under which they were laboring, in having only solid shot instead of shells. This had been been tearing up the ground all around them during this time, and still the two pieces, down at the | water's edge, held their ground. It was acurious | scene, and I suppose the old Oxus, since the be- ginning of time, never saw anything like it. Never since the time it first broke from the ice-bound springs of the Pameer, millions of years ago, had it heard such music as this. ‘Three times before, since Peter the Great, had the Russians attempted to reach this very spot, and three times had they failed, Three times had they been driven back, beaten and demoralized either by the difficulties of the way, the inciemency of the season or the treachery of the Khivans. One whole detachment, which had succeeded in capturing Kniva, was at last slangh- tered to the last man; and now they stood at last, this bright May morning, on the bank of that his- toric river, with their old enemy once more before them. THE BATTLE. For my own part I sat on my horse watching the | progress of events with an interest ali avsorbing, @ sense of dificulties overcome aud dangers passed after my 30 days’ chase—ind I If Thad had the selection of the momeut when I should arrive at the army I could not possibly nave chosen amore favorable one than the present, I watched the cannonade jor haif an hour, each side fring about two shots @ minute, when sud- denly asheil, which exploded among the cavairy up on the bank, seemed to produce & great panic and confusion. There was a scamperiog off in every direction, and a moment afterwards horses were brought down, the two pieces at the water’s edge were quickly hauled off, and in another min ute there was not a soul to be seen on the other shore, And thus ended the battle of Sheik-Arik, NEW YORK CITY. Paareeess 7 Vaan ween About half-past six o’clock yesterday morning Thomas Rosebrook, a milkman, who lived at No. 35 Ridge street, while im the stable adjoining the house, was kicked in the stomach by his horse and 80 severely injured thathe died in a lew minutes afterwards. Deceased was 86 years of age and a native of Germany. Coroner Herrman was notiied to hold an inquest. Mark Tobin, the man, 60 years of age, recently in the employ of the Harlem Ratiroad Company, who Was struck by a locomotive in Fourth avenue, near Ninety-sixth street, over a month ago, died yester- day in Bellevue Hospital, he having received a | fracture of the skull. Deceased lived at No. 132 | Hast 120th street, and, by permission of Coroner Herrman, the body Was taken home, where au in- quest will be held, Yesterday morning Coroner Herrman wags called to Bellevue Hospital to hold an inquest on the body of Judel Kowinsky, a Polander, 34 years of age, who died the eevaing previous. Deceased was a glazier, and on Wednesday last was employed to re- pair a skylight on the roof of Jeferson Marke Sixth and Greenwich avenues, In doing so ne jeil through and fractured his skull, He lived at No. 48 He has left a widow and three chil- THE BODY ROASTED. About half-past eight o'clock yesterday morning John Neumer, foreman in the fire brick manufac. tory No, 68 Goerck street, found the dead body of Ja- cob Clauss, a German jaborer employed tn the piace, lying against the brick wall enclosing the boiler, Deceased, who worked at night, is supposed, while in a fit or andor tne influence of liquor, to have fallen down @ Might of stairs, and, striking against the brick wail, which was very hot from the botier, had not strength or sensibility enough lett to move | from his periioug position, When discovered by | he foreman Mr. Clauss was pariiaily burned, but in all probability death ensued from injuries ceived by falling down stairs, The body was r moved by Officer Parrish, of the Thirteenth pr cinct, and Coroner Herrman was noufed, De- coused Lived in Lewis street ES SD EET ee ee meee Te mean ET a eee ee ee FISK & RUSSELLWN.Y, “BIG Six” His First Sabbath in the Tombs—All Communion with Friends Denied Him—The Sheriff Can Retain Him in the Tombs as Long as He Sees Fit Pending Further Proceedings. William Marcy Tweed’s first Sabbath behind the iron gratings was marked by no special event beyond the collection about the Franklin street entrance of the Tombs of small knots of politicians who were accustomed in the days of his vigorous power to obey his behests as implicitly as the lackeys of a king respond to the commands of royalty. On making his simple toilet und break- fasting he indulged im free converse with Deputy Sherif Shields, who remained in charge of him, and exhibited less of that haggard ap pearance that marked the closing scenes of Saturday. The Warden reported that he was in @ much more cheerful mood, and bore the imprisonment quite resignedly, The rules of the Commissioners permit no visitors on Sunday other than the church people who hold religious exercises every Sabbath afternoon, and consequently none of his old associates were admitted. About ten o’ciock a cab anda private carriage containing Mr. Dewey, his private secretary; William M. Tweed, Jr, and Deputy Sheriff Shields, drove up, and the deputy sheriff allowed young Mr. Tweed to visit his father, After passing him in Shields and Dewey left in the cab, and the son remained with the dethroned Boss nearly all day. Ex-Coroner Schirmer called and desired permission to enter, but was retused by the Warden, whose instruc- tions trom his superiors could not be disregarded. Judson Jarvis called about hall-past one, with the view of visiting the prisoner, but finding that Warden Johnson’s orders from the Commissioners were so stringent that there was some doubt whether even he as a deputy sheriff could be admitted, Mr. Jarvis retired with- out aninterview. Warden Johnson was unable to state when the prisoner will be removed to the Penitentiary on Biackwell’s Island. As he wzs committed after sentence the Warden says that it rests with the Sheriff to say when he shall be BEHIND THE BARS. transferred to the island, and he can act his own | with General pleasure in the premises. ‘The friends of the “Boss” express the belief that he will not be re- moved from the Tombs until after an effort to get astay of proceedings has failed. Some of them yesterday expressed their belief that Judge Davis would to-day commit Mr. Tweed’s counsel for con- tempt in filing tie mysterious protest, and that this would create a reaction in favor of the prisoner that would redound to his benefit, EFFECT OF THE TWEED SENTENCE IN NEWARK, The judicial coup de grace given “Boss? Tweed by the New York Oyer and Terminer on Saturday occasioned nearly as great a sensation in Newark as in New York, which fact is accounted for on the priactple, probably, that “a fellow feeling makes us wondrous kind.” Newark has @ municipal “ring” of its own, and the final and terrible overthrow of the = arch-municipal _ thief of the Continent gives the wronged citizens of “the town on the Passaic” greater hopes than ever that their oficial pilferers and law disregaraers will yet get their full and just deserts, even as Tweed has got his, The action of the jury in convicting the latter and the Court in meting ont stern justice to him meets with universal approbation on the Jersey side of the Hudson. Tweed's complete overthrow is there hailed as the assurance that a new and better era in offic lite and public morals has indeed dawned. Yesterday it was admitted on all sides that ‘Jersey justice’? had no longer cause to crow over that administered in the metropoiis. THE HOBOKEN SAVINGS BANK. The excitement at the coming discussion in the United States Court, on the motion that the Hobo- ken Savings Bank be adjudged bankrupt, grows to a high pitch in Hoboken. Eight hundred thousand dollars of the funds of the bank are invested in bond and mortgage, chiefly on the property of the middie and straggling classes in the city. The di- rectors wave addressed a note to Fisk & Hatch, peremptorily demanding payment of the $94,000 due by the latter to the Savings Kank. It is hoped that some settloment will be arrived at by which a crisis may be averted, President Sneppard donated $1,600—his year’s salary—to the bank, bat Charies Clinton, who was acting president tor three months, has been awarded $1,000 for his “‘ser- vices” during that ime, FATAL ACOIDENT IN THE NAVY Yano, About four o'clock Saturday afternoon, while a number of workmen were employed on board the steamer Swatara, one of them named William Tait, & machin: was instantly Killed, @ portion of the machinery failing upom and crashing him. Mr. Tait was 40 years of ore and leaves a large lam. ily, Mis body was brought to his late residence, No. 4 Hooper street, Willtamsbarg, by uis iellow workingn. FEDERAL OFFICE AFFAIRS. The War Feelings at the Castom House Indignation of the Veteran Soldiers Employed Here at Our National Insult Civil Service Matters—Business Reviv- ing—The Custom House Closed on Thanksgiving Day. The war feeling, so intense among the popuia- tion of this country, bas also penetrated the granite walls of the New York Custom House. In this branch of the government service hundreda or brave veteran soldiers, many of whom have left @ limb on the field of battle, are employed, and these men, who have braved the leaden storm hundreds of times in the defence ot the starry flag, feel the insult offered our country. by the haughty Spaniards, in the capture of the Virginius, to @ fearful extent. While these val- jant, battied-scarred heroes have suffered amaz- ingly in health, they are nevertheless ready at any moment again to respond to the bugle call when their trusty leaders sound the tocsin of war in be- half of our outraged banner. Aithough the current business of the customs department Is strictly atrended to, every employé finds time to discuss the affairs of the country, and the majority are in favor of the most stringent measures being adopted by our government against Spain without waiting for the slow process of diplomacy. Such, however, are only the expres- sions of ‘Hotspurs,’ whose valor, tried in many @ bloody action, rans away with their judgment. Yet the zeal demonstrated by tnese heroes does credit to their patriotism and gives an as- surance of the rapid gathering of an eficieut army in case of hostilities being commenced, REVIVAL OF COMMERCE, During the past week business here has taken quite an impetus, The withdrawal of goods has been rather heavy, and the receipts in duties very nearly as large as the corresponding period of last yeur. The cause of the activity 18 supposed to arise from the hear approach of the holidays, Owing tothe panic and the dearth of employ- Ment generally the applications tor office lodged Arthur, the Collector, are very numerous. The petitions are duly fled and as- surance given to the applicant that as soon 4s any vacancy ovcnrs he would be duly notified to appear for examination belore the Civil Service Commission. The Civil Service code ia strictly adhered to, and the consequence has been that the standard of proficiency among tie em- ployés has been raised very materially since it went into active operation. A few days ago Mr. E. 0. Graves, Chief Exam- iner, from Washington, arrived in this city, aud, j assisted by Mr. Charles Lyman, examined 56 candidates, among them seven ladies, for clerk- ships of the first class for the various departments in the capital. At the close of these examina- tions the above named gentiemen, in company with Postmaster Thomas L. James, chairman of the Custom House Board of Civit Service Commissioners, and Mr, John R, Lydecker, Special Deputy Coilector, also of this Commission, cailed on Mr. Dorman B, Eaton, chief of the Civil Service Commission for the Umted States, At this interview the various ruies and regulations adopted were carefully examined, and various other measures projected looking to the perfec- tion of the civil service general; SEIZED GOOD! A few days ago several thousand choice Havana cigars were seized by the officials under Colonel Frank &. Howe, Special Treasury Agent, on board of the steamship Morro Castle, while that vessel was detained at Quaran- tine jor the inspection of the Health OMcer. On Saturday the bobs Or goods were duly turned over to Collector Arthur and ordered into the seizure room. Deputy Vollector Dudley 8, Phelps, of the Seizure Division, has aiready filed a libel against the contraband merchandise, ext ‘Thursday being Thanksgiving day, and « legal holiday, the Custom House will be clos nk no business whatsoever transacted. Vessels which leave on that day will have to be cleared on Wednesday, and those arriving must wait until Friday morning to be properly entered, BOLD BURGLARY IN WESTPORT, OONN. Wastrort, Conn., Nov, 22, 1873. Last night or early this morning burglars forced an entrance througn a back window into Fanton & Harris! dry goods store, in the First National Bank building. They selected silk dress goods, silk um- brellas, velvets, laces, kid gloves, shawls and fancy articles, amounting in value to $1,500, and departed, leaving a flask of powder, with which they had intended to blow up the safe, and a copy of the Kenting Telegram bearing date November 21, ‘Toey made their exit by the front door, having pried of the fastenings, Mr. F. W. Perry and family were sleep in the building, on an upper floor, and knew nothing of the occurrence till informed of it this morning. ‘The parties suspected are three well dressed young men, Who came trom New York last night by the §:10 Boston express, arriving at Westport at ten o'clock. ‘They each wore heavy Arctic rabbver oversioes, ant walked trom the station to the village, a distance of one and a half mies, They were observed by Mr. B. W, Maples, who came trom New York the same train, and by Mr. Patrick Murphy, station agent, It is thought the mens retarned to Now York by the “owl” (rain early this morutog,