The New York Herald Newspaper, January 12, 1874, Page 4

4 SHARPSHOOTING. INTERNATIONAL RIFLE MATCHES. A World's Congress of Sharpshooters—The Con- ditions of Rifle Practice at Wimbledon—The British National Rifle Association—Cap- ture of the Elcho Shield by the Irish Eight—A History of the Next Franco-Prussian War. LONDON, Dee, 27, 1873. The English, Scotch, Irish ana Canadians were represented in the preseat year’s shooting at Wim- bledon. If it happened that the Americans were pifered an opportunity to compete with the Britisa on their own well furnished grounds at Wimble- don—say, to carry of the famous Echo Shield 80 gallantly Wou tills Season by the Irish after sev- | eral years of deleat—doubtiess men would be found wo would- creditably represent us. The Britiab, by the position they won in establishing Wimbiedoa 48 & national institution, are entitled to take the lead im promoting international rife matches. Judging from the past, it is hardly to be doubted that they will do so, The initiation of | such 4 movement, one may weil believe, will be | aviended by far-reaching consequences, AS a means of promoting the cavse Of peace, what's a world’s peace congress compared to a world’s rife match? It remains to be seen from what quarter will come the official proposition for the assembly of a congress of sharpshooters with | the view of. testing the skill in marksmanship | and the quality of the weapons of »the men | of the various nations, The establishment ot | Wimbiedon and the great volunteer organization | simultaneously accomplished were England’s form | of answer, tn 1861, to threats of a French invasion, Aggressive Powers would now be cautious about | bringing troops within raage of a “thickened” H skirmish line of men trained to hit a figure no larger than a man at a distance of 1,000 yards, | England's pre-eminence in this respect must ren- { der her, on the one hand, fearless of competition, and, on the other, willing enough to encourage test illustrations of the proficiency acquired and | the quaiities of the weapous used by the marks men of other nations, There is no need to dwell on the various obvious advantages to result trom such amicable international strife. War between | two nations is possible only i case of ignorance on either or both sides as to the relative strength of the opposers; hostile feelings, growing out of | ignorant prejudice, speedily give wa$ before every form of triendly competitive intermingling. The wholesume local effects of outdoor exercise, military discipiine and the training of the eye, | hand and mind, which attend the organization and competition of corps of sharpshooters, cannoy | longer be subjects of argument. The two great | Powers which have shown others how to avert war by referring their quarrel to an international | court of arbitration may well lead in adding another and most important to the various uselul forms of competition between nations, WIMBLEDON. To show what has been done by the Englishmen in the matter of training sbarpshooters, tt is neces- sary briefly to review the nistory of Wumbledon as @ national shooting ground and the conditions of Tifle practice there. The “National Rifle Assocta- tion,’”’ which is the “head centre” of sharpsnooters throughout the United Kingdom and the colonies, and to which is due the establish- ment of Wimbledon camp a8 a great | training school, was jounded in 1860, ‘to give per- manence to volunteer corps and to encourage rifle shooting throughout the Queen’s dominions.” The movement had its origin in the apprehension | of an invasion of English territory by the French under Napoieon [1l., who was suspected of a de- sign to consolidate his power by provoking a war with the ancient antagonists of his people. The list of officers, tiustees, &c., of the association presents 100 or more o{ the most illustr.ous néfmes | of the kingdom, beginning with the Prince of | Wales as “patron,” “and “Field Marshal His Royal Highness the Duke of Campbridge, K. G,” as “President.” The county associations, in connec- | tion with the National Assocation, number 64; | nd there are aiso associations in Canada, 8; Australia, 4; China, 2; India, 5; New Zea- land, 4; South Alrica, 3, and one each in Japan, Mauritius, Prince Edward’s Island and the West indies, These associations embrace @ vast body of volunteers, and the representatives | selected from them by process of trial matches swell the list of competitors who annually assem- | ble in camp at Wimbledon to about 2,000 men. The | Tealizable assets of the National Association mounted last year to more than £18,000, | nearly $100,000. Wimbledon Common may be sald to be merely a suburb of Lou- don, as it is, perhaps, not more than 12 miles from st. Paul's churen, and during the season (two Weeks) of rifle matches it ts a javor- ite popular resort, wile the final day, with its re- view, sham battles, distribution of prizes and pres- ence of royalty, attracts spectators by the 59,000, The iist of prizes which are competed for embraces | @ great variety, trom “Her Majesty's prizes” (money), having an aggregate value of £1,515, to “sweepstakes” of 5s. each, given by Lon- don tradesmen. The number of prizes offered in 1860 was 67, with an aggregate value of £2,2 od this gradually imereased, until it amounted last year to 1,209 prizes, worth in all £10,772. In 1872 | the entries for competition for the various prizes | reached the tollowing numbers:—Entries for vol- unteer prizes, 6,65; tor prizes for all comers (British subjects), 14,065; tor special prizes, 720, and to these are 10 be added the entries for the Miscellaneous petty contests, chiefly between | casual visitors, inciuded under tne head of ‘pools, Tunning deer and swiss prizes,” $4,114—making | @ votal of 105,452 T numbers are ligniy nificant of a general mierest im rife practice; id the OUicial reports show that there bas been a steady annual increase m the numbers, from the beginning, 1u 15v0, co the close of tue present year’s Beason. The targets which are placed at the eastern side of the vast. common are arranged in groups or rows of eight or ten each, and tic whole number Of targets is above 60. ‘The ranges are at various distances, from i20 to 1,0u0 yards, The size of the targets is as iollows At 200 yards—6 t1.x4 in i ‘seye, Sin.; centre, 2 ft At ito yards |6ftx0 in, ; bull’'seye,2 ft; centre,’ 4 ft At ow yards At WO yard< }o ft-xi2 in. ; bull's eye, 3 ft.; centre, 6 ft. At 1,000 yards The value of shots is reckoned by counting a shot coming within the “bull's eye” as four; within the “centre” as three, and in the ‘‘outer space” as two. The reading ol the score of the Irish eight below will be understood by reference to this system of notation. ‘The conditions and rules of competition at Wim- pledon may be summarily stated as providing that winners of Certuin prizes at the local (county and other) contests may compete for specified prizes atthe genverui meeting at the camp. No hair triggers ure allowed, and uo artificial rests, except where specified. There are a great number of technical restrictions and’ requirements neces- sary in securing due system iu operations, and these are set forth in full in hand books, which are supplied to the members | Ol the association, There does not appear, ho ever, any provision for the competition here of other than British subjects, The belgian Volan- teers is the only outside organization named in connection with tne prizes, and they only as givers oi the “belgiaf Cnailenge Cup’ (£50), as ize in commemoration of the warmly cordial Feception 0! the Volunteers at Wimbledon Camp, in July, 1367, ‘The visit here of the Belgian Volunteers affords, by the way, an excellent iiustration pertineat to the present theme. Of course there was inant. tested eXceptionally cordial and lavish hospti- tality in the case of tne visit of the Belgian corp: The le of contents of the volume published by one of the Volunteers, reviewing we incidents of vhe excursion, suficiently indicates the nature of their reception, It runs thus:— Fete a Guildhall, Fete a South Kensington, Reception a Wimbledon. Dix heures & Brighton. Curiosites de Lonares, Fete « Crystal Palace. Fete ched Miss Burdett Coutts. Revue Finale & Wimbledon. ~-And so on to the end of those most memorable festivities. They are, doubtless, models in the ‘way Of entertaining arms-beating inca with one exception. When a number of such represe: .a- tive men from different nations are assembied it is Well to give them a fair opportunity to test each other's qualities a8 sharpsiooters. ‘They will thus be apt to continue in frienustip longer. The next novewortuy incident in connection with Wimbledon was the va@tory Of the Irish , Si NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 1874.-TRIPLE SHEET. of the country. The competitors need not neteasarly be Volunteers, and the con fitions of the match are rendered ‘as few and simple as practicable, The event always attracts an im- wing 1s & meut of the mense crowd of spectators. ‘The list Of the Winners since the commen: mateh:— England. ‘The success of the frishmen in the present sea- son's contest was a matter of hearty congratuia- tion on ail hands. For four years they bi second; yet had persevered against all discourage- ‘Yhe representatives of the English and Seotch “teams” at once made brief speeches, acknowledging their deteat, in gracetui terms, and engaging to renew the contest and bring the prize back from across the Channel in another ist The Duke of Abercorn responded jor the rishmen, remarking, amid great cheering, that probably Irish air would not be tound to disagree with the Elcno shieid. The frish used in this con- test their iavorite rifle, the Rigby; the Engtsn, the Metiord rifle, and the Scotch, variously the | SMetiord, the Kigby and the Ingram pine. The fir- ing Was'at three ranges successively, the distance being 800, 900 and 1,000 yards, The lrisa score at 1.000 yards Was us follows :— 1,000 Far 3a 4, 8 53 6 53 Private J Bisby 33 Private B. Jobuxon—4, «a Private L. Lioyd—3, 3, 4 46 Private W. Bigby—4, 24, 4, 4, 3 : ot Total... weregeees . . 390 The Irish carried home in triumph the shield, or, rather, its counterfeit presentment, lor the origi- nal iad been placed on exhibition t the World's Fair at. Vienna. In Dublin & procession, with a guard of honor from the Fourteenth Hussars and hurty-rourth regiment, followed the shield and “the lrish eight? who had won it through the principal streets to the Mansion House, where the Lord Mayor, attended by the members of the City Corporation, in all their robes and insignia of ottice, formally received the trophy tor sale keep- ing Ull called jor by the bextsuccessiul compe itors. In the evening there Was a grand banquet at the Mansion House in honor of the Irish eivht. Speeches were made by tie Lord Lieutenant and others, among them Mr. Lloyd, who, in benalt of ; the eight, saul:— Irciand for a long time tried hard to send a sample of her sons equal ty the task set before them at Winbiedon. For turee years ireland was last, For the next our Yeareahe Was second, Last year she was last axain, Dut hat was, he supposed, the dark hour beiore the dawn, Few who were preseut could fully appreciate the ditt: Sunder which the Klcho shicid had been won. nd counted ler rifle shota by fliues of thousand: nd by tweaties of thousands In tact, English an Bs ‘Were as (ami liar with the use of the ride as Paddy Was in peeling potatoes, Lhe Duke of Abercorn, trom almost the begiun.ng, gave &@ magnificent cup to be shot for by all Ircland, in order that for the marksmen elcht to uo baltic should be chosen, His Exeeilency the Lord Lieuienant siace he came among them had never | forgotten that Irishmen loved sport, and to encourage rifle shooting gave a handsome cup for competition every year. But whenihey remember the tens of thou- Hr shots ot Engiand and Scouand shey would be Pe | astonished to hear that never yer since the Abercorn Cup was shot for had 90 Irishmen competed. Last year he number, he thought, was 27 and these 27 represented nots, good, bd and indifferent, that Ireland sent to r niher.’ Under these circuinstances, he thougbt, the Irish eight naturally were @ little proud of weir success this time. THE LABOR QUESTION. The Excited Feeling Among the Labor- ing Men—Views of One of Their Class—No Danger Save From Indiscreet Action on the Part of the Authorities— Insigniticance of Would Be Leaders. The question of the unemployed working men in this city, now numbering many thousands, has ex- cited grave apprehensions in the breasts of many of late, and rumors of probable outbreaks have been as numerous as the proverbial leaves of Vallam- brosa. These apprehensions have been increased by the intemperate remarks of certain persons claiming to be representatives of the laboring class, tending towara sedition and riot. In view of these facts a HERALD reporter yesterday called upon a gentleman belonging to the working men and eatirely in sympathy with them, occupying & prominent position among and much respected by them, to obtain his views on the situation. “It 1s a “suoject,” he said, “apon which I am very ready totalk to you.” As some reference had been made to THE INTERNATIONALS in opening the conversation, he continued:—“You are wong in attaching any mmportance to that or- ganization. It has no existence in New York, at least no following, Started simultaneously in england and France, in 1864, and alter the Paris Expos.tion, it was successiul in the latter country only owing to the soolish course of Napoleon, which drove its members into secret societies and made them, in fact, conspirators. In England, where they had free scope, they soon died out. The General Council was transierred toWNew York some lwo years since, where it has since died from imauition and the effort to introduce extraneous matters into it. There are, however, mm New York a considerable number of WORKINGMEN’S SOCIETIES growing out of the hostile attitude which capital and jabor are assuming toward each other. They are groping tueir way blindly, hardly realizing where the trouble lies, yet somehow conscious of its existence. There are a large number of men out 01 employ, some of them, with their families, on the very verge of starvation. I know them well. ‘Tuey are naturally in a very excited condition, and it will require a Careiui and torbearing course on the part of the authorities to prevent au outbreak, ‘Yney consider that the government—natuoual, | Scate or municipai—ougat TO FURNISH THEM WORK, as it has the means to doit, ‘There are thousands who live irom hand to mouth and who have been wont to depend on the city sor work, They know there is a great deal o/ it to do, in grading the streets, improving the parks, &c., and they are anxious, Datuially anxious, for bread, you see, Now it would be extiemely impolitic for the authorities to interfere with them in their present condition, with (heir meetings, tueir speeches and their parades, il they want them,”’ “What about taese leaders, who are talking so loud?” asked the reporter. “{ will tell you,” Was the response. “But first jet me way the jaboring men are apt to look upon those im power as their natural enemies; and any attempt at present to suppress their meetungs or their iiberty oi speech—no matter bow rabid it may be—might lead vo serious results. As to the jeauers of Wuom you speak they are so only in name, There are turee or jour—may be hall a duzen—Wwho are seeking Ww place themselves at the head of the workingmen; but they really have no influence and they wili nave none, unless the au- thorities, by some indiscreet action, make MARTYRS OF THEM, The truth {s they are loud-moutned, blatant fools, and the Workinginen Know it; ouly any atvempt at interference with them in the present condition Oi aflairs would be considered a8 @ biow at the jaboring ciass, Tell the authorities to let them alone and they willdo no injury, They are too in- significant.” hie attention of his informant was here called elsewhere, and the reporter took his ieave, HOUSE ROBBED IN NEWBUR —_+—__—__ Five Hundred Dollars’ Worth of Val bles Stolen—The Servant Girl Confesses the Robbery—An Alleged Accomplice Arrested—Plety and Thett. NEWBURG, Jan, 10, 1874, Last evening the family of Mr. James Fullager left their residence in this city to go to church, leaving their colured servant, Sarah Jackson, in charge. When they returned, aiter church, they found the doors unlocked and novody inside, and that the house had been plundered of $500 worth of clothing, silver and jeweiry. Woen the family went Out the servant was diligently reading her Bible preparatory to attending religious service. She came in at half-past ten, sald she had been to church, and professed to be very much surprised at the robbery, and | shed tears freely at her own loss of clothing, jewelry and money. It turned out, however, that the girl had taken a@ large bundle away the same night, and an inspection this morning showed that the bundle consisted of the stolen property, inciud- ing tbe articles which she said she had lost, and which had peen cunningly carried away with the other property to divert suspicion irom herself. On bemg sharply questioned and charged with Knowing ali about the robbery she acknowledged her guilt and explained how the crime was carried out. She implicates a colored man named Abram Graham, who, however, stoutly denies the accusa- tion, and, thus far, tnere is only her confession to um- plicate nim, She also charges that he told her he was the party who burglarized the residence of Major W. H, 0. Sherman, in New Windsor, Orange county, last fall, Whule the family were at Newport, and that ne “made a good thing’ of that opera- tion by taking the stolen goods to New York city aud disposing of them there; that he persuaded er into the robbery of the ‘Fullager residence by Promising to share with her the proceeds, The, eight this sua.mer to the c THE Ye i The famous long ra oting for the Eleto | $ropby brass vogeiber vunuaily some of Was pear | Kirl and Graham were arrested and subjected to & preliminary examination belore Kecorder Charles 1. Vitus this morning. They were then remanded Jor iurther ¢Xamnavion, “THE CATSKILL BANDITS.” How a Whole Family Was Bound, Handeuffed and Pillaged. THE STORY OF EDMUND POST. “Now We'll Have a Nico Little Class Meeting.” Wuite PLAins, Jan. 10, 1874 It was a large apartment, with a big table close to a window, which looked out on a wide country street thinly lined with detached cottages, The room was perfectly still, and nought could be neard but the ticking of the clock as the pendu- jum made its regular beat to and fro. The room was in the Court House building at White Plains, and there were none present but myself and a jailer, wno seemed somewhat discontented and morose, for be bad been wailing for some hours to receive a number of prisoners, and bis vacuous mind was worried as he jooked out and saw the rain drops faliing in the gloom of the night. Pitch dark it was, and all around the solemn silence of a country town, THE CATSKILL FARMER, Soon there was a break in the monotony that hung like a blanket on both jailer and reporter. A small mab, with an unsuspicions face and light red whiskers, walked into the room, his overcuat but- toned closely around him, and looking as if he nad been in the storm. Tuis was Mr. Edmund Post, of Catskill, who had been a victim of the masked robbers, and who was sent up to White Plains by Matsell, the redoubtable and prescient Chief of Police of New York, in the hope that he might be enabled to recognize some one of the men who had committed the robbery at Catskill, in his father’s rouse, on the 17th day of last October. Mr. Post sat down in a quiet manner and we soon got very well acquainted with each other, “Now,” said I to Mr. Post, “you should have & very interesting story to tell about the robbery which was committed on your family by the men who are to come here to-night, as it is supposed. Suppose while we wait we have a little conversa- tion to while away the time until those prisoners. come over irom New Rochelle?” “Lam willing,” said Mr, Post, ‘and I will tell the HERALD all | Know of what Occurred, jor I never yet saw a correct account of that affair. Ask me all the questions you like and J will answer them.”” Mr, Post threw one leg over another and imme- diately settled down to an old-fashioned talk. THE PROLOGUE. My name is Edmund Post, and I live in the southern end of the town of Catskill, Greene county, New York State, with my Jather, mother and sister. We have a farm of 400 acres of land, with a frame house for our residence. The house is a good sized one, 40x28 feet. My sister 1s 24 years of age and unmarried, and we all live very comfortably together, having a colored woman as house servant, and a hired man who does our work and eats bis meals in the house, but wholives with his famuly in another part of the town. “YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFEI” At half-past six of the evening of the 17th of October, 1873, we were all sitting at the taple— father, mutiuer, my sister and myself—at supper, the hired mau having just finished his supper. ‘Ihe colored wench was vutside of the door and the evening was quite still, The nearest house to us is @ quarter oi a mule off. The hired man was at the gate, going home, some 50 or 60 leet irom the door ofour house. While there a man jumped suddenly up irom behind some bushes aod said to the hired mu “Ia Mr. Post at home?! “Yes,’’ said the hired man; “he is in the house, eating nis supper.” “Well, then, Lwant to see him. I’ve got a little business witb nim, and I want you to go back to the house and tell him.” “Lcau’t go,” said the hired man, “I want to go home to see my family.’’ The hired man had no sooner said this than the stranger cried out, ‘Bring them ‘n now!’ and four or five men jumped up trom behind a fence, and one grabbed the hired man while another seized the colored woman, who had stood a little dis- tance off. She hung on to a tree and reiused to go in the house, and she was beaten and kaocked about, and the other three men went toward our house and entered it. One fellow told the hired man that he would shoot bim if he did not come be him to the house, and put @ revolver to bis head. UNBIDDEN GUESTS. Four of the men came into the house with re- voivers, but they had no masks on their faces. One man, who seemed to have autiority, turned down the lappe! of his coat and said to us :— “We are government detectives and we have come to search for counterieit money.”” “{hen apotner man pulled out some handcuffs and they were placed on our wrists. We were all ranged in a row, with our backs to the clock, 80 that we couldn’t see the time, They told us it we didn’t keep quiet that they would shoot us. They handcuffed tather, mother, myseif and sister, and the two servants. My sister spoke up to them, and they told her that as she Was so daroned saucy ae would have to put the handcuffs on her any- OW. ‘then Captain Hobbs, one of the band who ts now in Catskui Jail on the charge of that robbery, ked :— «“‘Which is Mr. Post ??? (meaning my father.) “Tam he,” said my tather. “Weil,” said Captain Hobbs, “we are going to search the house for counlerieit, Let us go up stairs.”” “Liorbid you to go up stairs,” said my father, who is a little near-sighted, ey paid no attention whatever to what he said, but one of them took @ candle and candle- stick (rom the table and three went up siaira, Three remained in the dining rvom. (Mr. Post had just stated that tuere were but five in all, with re- voilvers cocked and pointed at the family.) SPOLIATION. We could hear them up stairs, as we supposed, breaking open Jocks, aud we heard an explosion of gunpowder also. Nearly three-quarters of an hour elapsed beiore they came down stairs. When they came*down they had a lot of bedcord with them. Hobbs blew out bis candle as soon as he came down. They had spoons and iorks sticking out of their Dpcketts which we believed to be bur prop- erty. Four of them went outside of the door, and they leit two others remaining inside. These two men theu took the bedcord aud tied all six of us around an empty bedstead, with our faces out in @ circle. They tied our arms and hands, aod tied our se to chairs, en they had us all tied safely Captain Hobbs ‘Now we'll have a nice little class meeting and a nice littie nyuin.’’ (This struck Mr, Post as being a very fanny re- mark, and he laugued heartily at the remembrance of Captain Hobbs! joke.) They took all the pocket knives from our pockets and ali the table knives trom the tavie and threw them in the cellar. One man came back twice after fust going Out, and said to the rematn- ing robbers he Captain says you must come out right ay."" They seemed to be im a great to get away, I thougiit. Another man said, ‘Ml take @ pall of water and water the horses.’ ‘No,” said another, ‘they are too warm.!? “Never mind,” said the nan who spoke first, “it will do them no harm.’ He took one pail of water which we had drawn. We could not teil whetner they had a wagon or not, our house being a quarter of a mile from the nearest house, anda one of the women who lives there says that she heard a noise of wieels and & wagon rumbiing. THE BOOTY TAKEN, They took $225 in currency, $75 or oaks and silver, s0me from my father’s pocket! in the bureau, and my sister bad $10 or $12 impthe bureau, which was not locked. Some of the mey t of drawers. They touk some 18 12 forks, of the same material: a and chain belonging to my valued at about $125; a check tor 51,000, on the janners’ National One was made vy Mrs. Marsino, payable to the order of R. H. ing, endorsed by him, payable to opaer of Abra- ham Post, and the other ones made by Jacob Barget, payable to Abraham Post or bearer. There ‘Was ai80 two Greene county bonds, euch valued at $500, which could not be realized on, because they would have to be presented at Catskill to the County ireasurer. ‘hey also took an overcoat be- longing to me and an undercoat belonging to my Jather, which I recognized at Police Headquarters. It was jound In the house at Canal and Washington streets that was pulled the other night. A number of articles of bedding, finger rings, breast- pins and other articies, which did not amount to much, and belongiug to my slater, were taken trom up stairs, When they were tying us one man said:. “We are sorry to do this, but being us we have gone 80 far we have got to tie you all.” Wuen they were going away another said, “I think it i# the most tuolish thing in the world to mo away and leave these peopie tied 80 badly,’? RELEASED. AS soon as they had been gone some time my sister, Whose hand was the smallest, pulled her hands out of the handcumls and got # knile and cut the rope. She then untied and the hired man and | wentin the yard and got an axe and chopped the handcuffs trcm our hands. As soon a8 1 got them of S went right off to Catskill and gave the Leia and Laid tae Koen Of KE Aa We 0) sister, $i aud one for $250, Bank of Catskill. to open the other handcuffs. The New York detec- tives told us since that these bandouds made the best padlocks mm the world. I don’t know how they got away, but down the Consumers’ Ice Company's dock @ fishing boat had been vroken loose, and it was found at tne other side of the river, wlongstde of the ratiroad (rack; | supposed that they had crossed the river and took « trata vo the city from ‘Tivol, Some of the ns and iorks were found in New York, and they nadon them my sister's initials, “S. EB. P.” 1 saw four men at Police Headquarters, but did not recognize any of them, Capfain Hobbe was arrested in New York, where he was keeping @dauce horse at the corner of Dover and Wat streets, in toe early part of December, and 18 now in Catskilt Jai The two checks were sent back in a blank enve- lope. directed to my father, and the postmark on the cover was New York city. At the time that Hobbs was arrested there had not been a Greene county bond offered for sale to any of the brokers wio deal in such securitics in New York city unless they lied. They were coupon bonds, We have evidence enough outside of our family to convict them. I saw two of the gang who robbed us at the Catskill County Fair a iew days previous to the robbery, and I toid them soin the farm house, and they did not seem to like it. One had a black cap on, and the other wore a biack slouch nat. They blew open the bureau with gunpowder, ‘The man Who ted us Was short and thick set and had #lignt olack mustache, Captain Hobbs was arrested at his dance house by stratagem. An officer called on him and told him that he was wanted at the station house for a woman scrape, and he seemed quite relieved at this and weut around, and they kept him; and then he said that they “did'nt Want Dit for no woman scrape,” and he asked wnat they wanted him for again, and they told nim that they wanted him jor stealing a horse in New Jersey, and he said that be never was in New Jersey in his iife, I have been working up this case with the aetectives for a couple of months.'? WASHINGTON SOCIETY. The First Reception of the Season by Mrs. Fish—Who Were There—Who Were Not. WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 1874. ‘THE GAY SEASON, What with the trouble about poor Mr. Williams, and the shadows which the death angel's wings have cast over several of the leading families in soctety here, the season has opened slowly. There have been a few subscription germans gotten up by youngsters who wear their hair parted in the middie, @ charitable fair which was made a frolic and some rather dismal attempts at receptions; but it was not until to-night that “the season of 4874" was fairly inaugurated at the palatial resi- dence of MR. SECRETARY FISH. This house is on the southwest corner of Fifteenth ard 1 streets, vis-d-vis to that of Fernando Wood, while diagonally across 18 the temporary tene went of Ben Butler, who ts building on Capitol Hill. Governor Morgan rebuilt and house at great expense, and, When made Secretary of the Treasury, again will occupy it; but mean- while bis tenant is the Secretary of State. As the premier oi the Cabinet, he is at the head of society here, while Mrs. Fish is the recognized leader of les dames a la mode. Invitations to their recep- tions are only given with stinted hand to LA CREME DE LA CREME, and the skim milk has to content itself with hotel hops, state soclables and other second class enter- tainments, Yet, with all this discrimination in inviting, the spacious house of the Secretary o/ ‘State was literally packed to-night, like a drum or figs or @ box of herrings. Such a jam is rarely witnessed even here at Washington. The Secre- tary welcomed his guests as they were successively announced, and was assisted in receiving by Mrs, Fish and her daughter, Miss baith, a débutante, who bids fair to be as tail and graceiul a8 her lady- mother, Of course the Cabinet was there, with tue exception of the Attorney General, Who Is nut happy. PRY: secRETARY BELKNAP AND BRIDE were the observed 01 all observers, He is tall, tly and wearing a tawny beard in which aswai- jow might build 118 nest, while she is @ periect type o: Kentucky beauty, and her white satul bridal dress displayed her charms to great advan- tage. ‘Lhat jolly sea-dog, KOveson, could not vring his wife, as she 18 12 Mourning, and Secretary Le- lano was tor the same reason alone. secretary Kichardson was there, evidently bothered by tue Bleady failing Off of his receipts, aud having as his aide-de Camp Mullett, who is ready to spend any new loan that can be made with architectural ex- actitude. Of assistant secretaries, heads of bu- reaus and minor officials there was no end, and they did their duty nobly at tue supper tavie, as they always do. THE FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS could have been called to order in the drawing rooms and tiansacted busiuess, for quoruius of eituer Louse were present, mapy of taem with their wives and daughters, Tue courtly Conk- ling, the trucuient Butier, the genial Anthoay, the ouderous Stevenson, the suuhy Cox, the mighty jaynard, with their associates, were in the most iracernal and triendly mood, ‘then ol the ante cel. lum Congressmen there were Clingman, of North Carolina, and Foote, of Mississippi, each of whom looked as though if it were to be dope over again he for one woulan’t, THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS did not appear in their court costumes, but each was in scrupulous evening attire, from Sir Hed- ward, oi tter Majesty’s Legation, down to the smil- ing httle ulmond-eyed Giro-Zano, the Chargé trom Japan, Laay thornton is detained at bome by being in mourning, and Madame, of Japan, be- cause she Can't speak a word oi English; but Mon- sieur de Noailles, of France, was accompanied by Mme. la Marquise, who wore @ White buali-dress, and was greatly admired. Then there were the other diplomatic ducks (a8 Don Piatt calis them) of high and low degree, and thelr wives were dressed a la mode de Paris. THE ARMY AND NAVY were out in force, those who had new uniforms wearing them. Geveral Sberman and Admiral Porter were there to look after the boys in brass coats and blue buttons, and Miss vorter was oue Of the belles of the reception, Of course the army staf was ont in all its glory, especiaily tne fellows who served here during the War a8 deputy as- sistant requisition signers, and have kept it up ever since, drawing much pay and commuting ior many rauons. Among THE CITIZENS GENERALLY were judges and lawyers, a few correspondents, an artist or two, Mme. Dahigren, Goveruor Shep- herd, ex-Mayor Berrett and the young set wit whom Miss Edith associates, who hud rare fun in quizzing some Of the wives ol rural Congressmen, who appeared to be dressed to take @ ; art in iheir local grange. Of course, the youny man Was there who hopes to be appoiuted Consul at Rarvampoo- tra or some other foreign seaport, and who tilted to ma) himsell acce; tabie to Mr. Fish by assert- ing that he had just finished readinzs the two re- pubiished voluines of the Department ot State’s currespondence. THE APPOINTMENT OF MR, CUSHING as Chief Justice was the staple topic of conversa- tion, apd it was evident that some oi the republi- can’ magnates did not fancy giving to a democrat an office which inight have been go bestowed as to aid their own advancement, When it was whispered that Chief Justice Cushing might be sent to Spain (as Jay was sent abroad aiter his appointment to the Chief Justiceshtp) and tuat no regular appointment to Madrid would be made just now, the Turveydrops were more horrified than ever. ‘The young men were very merry over an ex- ploit.ot COLONEL FRED GRANT. It seems that last Sunday one of the papers nad an allusion to Mrs. Grant which her son didn’t Jancy, and be swore vengeance. The edivor heard O! tuis belligerent patrol arvand his house, and he “finally went to the Chie of Police and asked that a roundsman might be stationed at his door. Li they would only come to his office, ie said, he was ready for their visit, but he disiiaed being dogged at his domicile, ‘The desired guard was given, but the bellicose jeelings 0: the Lieutenant Colonel be- Ps soitened, and mutual irieads patched up a Truce. THE SUPPER. _But I must not forget the supper room in which 80 many ‘tuk root,” as the wile of an Illinois von- ressmgn said of @ gigantic old commodore, or atswain, Or Something or other, who had stood between her and the table nearly an hour... ‘The re- freshments were simple but abundant, And now, nous voila lancée, as everybody's friend, the Marquis de Chambrun, said jast night. Weil, it was a magnificent launch, and any Con- gressman present who will vote to reduce the sul- aries of the Cabinet officers should be—well, he should be made to read the reports of Uon- greasional proceedings in the ARRIVAL OF TAR SWEDISH MINISTER, Yesterday evening the German steamer Main arrived after nightfall bringing, among other pas- sengers, Minister Steversen, the Minister Plenipo- tentiary at Washington of the Swedish ana Nor- wegian governments to this country. As soon as the steamer was in the neighvorhood of her whart at Hoboken she was boarded by First Lieutenant Commanding Gabrielson, of the revevue cutter Washington, ioliowed by Boarding Officer Dunham. Mr. Gabrielson soon found his way to the Minister’s cabin and informed him that he was sent to offer him, by order of Collector Arthur and Surveyor General Sharpe, of the Revenue Department, all the desired cour- tesies, The Munster thanked those gentlemen tor their good will, and said that he had already made arrangements with Colonel Kk. H. kiders, Deputy Collector, to land at once with his suite, and pro- ceed in Carriages to the Brevoort Hotel, tn Filth avenue, Mr. Gabrielson replied that as Its Excel- lency bad decided to make use of carriayes, and not of the cutier, he wished him @ very pleasant evening, and after some cordial handshaking aud exchange of cigars the powwow broke up. A few minutes aiterwards the Washiugtun was steaming KGL BACK. 1O Wek AIG! A Mag Wabiette refurnished the + CARDINAL CULLEN. His Pastoral Letter on German Persecution of the Roman Catholic Church.. SHALL THE TUDOR POLICY BE REVIVED! The following pastoral has been addressed by His Eminence the Cardinal Archbishop Cullen to the Catholic clergy, secular and regular, of the diocese of Dublin:— VERY K&VEREND S1R—Feelings of gratitude oblige a8, in union with tue Catholics of the worid, to be most tuankiul to God tor having placed in the chair of St. Pever, in these dificult times, a Pontif so holy and ediiying in his li.e as Pius 1X. 80 zealous ior the glory of God and 80 firm and courageous in defending the rights of the Church— a Ponuit who ip most diiticult and troubled tmes has won the respect and admiration even of 018 most bitter enemies, During the ast wwenty-vight years this great Pope has been incessantly ovcu- ied with the spiritual welfare of the vast fold of urist, encouruging every iorm ;of piety and of work, Every year he has Co demned pestilerous errors, the offspring of 1udi- ference or impiety; and, oesides, he has Bpelgined and defined Catholic doctrine and crowné@ all his ‘olber great deeds by assembling the Vatican Council. but in the discharge of his arduous duties, and io bis solicitude tor all the churches, he hus been priucipaily caiied on to grapple with two leading evus of the day, which, th.uga opposed to euch other, unite in assailing the foundations of our holy region, and tu their deeds ot darkne harmoniously act togethet. In the first piace H ‘Holness has had suvuunnalle to contend against wud revolutionary spirit that,tends to do away witu subjection to every law and to undermine the foundations of religion and society, Had he not by wis repeated exhortations aud sdmonitions checked the growth o! this canker, scenes o/ biood- shed, anarchy and trreligion, such a8 were lately enacted by the Lommanists in Paris, would, per- haps, nave disgraced mauy other cities and coun- tries. While resisting tais REVOLUTIONARY TORRENT he hag also been obliged to oppoee himself, like a ‘wail of brass, agatust (he encroachments 0: despot- ism and tue many.attempts daily mude to estab- list @ pagan Cesarism, under which temporal and spiritual things and all the concerns oi our im- wortal souls would be sudjectéd to the State, and the things belonging tu God given over to Cyesar— setting aside the power of taat Church which has been invested by God Himself with wis own au- thority, Co guide us in spiritual matters in our pil- grimage through this valley of tears. Within tue just few weeks His Holiness has wddressed to all the bishops of the worid an encyclical ietier, in which, in the most solemn way, he raises His voice against the two prevailing anti-religious scourges which | have mentioned—that is, the revolutionary and destructive spirit of the aye, and that tendency tw despotism which would destroy al uverty of soul and body, and obring Hurope buck to paganism and slavery. Tis document 13 of so much importance ‘at the present ime that I send copies o: & translation ol it to each parish, begging of you to read it trom the pulpit for the peuple on a bunday, or in parts upon two successive pundays. in this way your pious flocks will receive much instrucuon and edifcauon irom the woras of Curist’s Vicar oo eurvn, and be confirmed in the iaith once delivered to the saints; and, at the sume time, they will ob- tain an accurate knowledge of the wickvd persecu- tous and ureadiul sufferings to which our Vatholic brethren are exposed IN SWITZERLAND, GERMANY, ITALY AND OTHER COUNTRIES. * ‘To know the truth 1s difficult at present, as it ap- pears wat the authorues of the German Empire have adopted the system of briving tue press, in order to Circulate Dews lavoravle to tueu persecul- ing measures, and to preveut the world irom learning the terrible grievances to which the Catholic Church has been lately subjected, Some ot the public papers go so far indeed as to state that Prussia has established @ Special department for tue bribery of the press, and that in the late war with Denmark 70,000 kreutzers had been expended in suvsicies to the journais that wrvte in favor of Prussian views, Une of the Deputies in the Partiament in berun (Herr Windhorst) in a recent speecu given by tne Luily News, staves vhat preliminary steps to establisu a press lottery fund at the Prussian Embassy in Londun bad been takea, and that whep that project failed a speciai corruption office for England, France and italy bad been opened at Beriin, 1his statement will serve to explain why so many lying telegrams and corresponuences hostue to the Pope and to the Vathulics ol Switzer. land, Germany and italy appear amost every day in some o:gans O1 the pubiic press, This Way of encouraging persecutiun and oppression was se- verely censured by a French Protestant (Presseuse) iu tuese word: The reiigious poucy oi the Ger- man kinpire receives in Engiand felicitatious which we take jeave tu regard as scangulous.”’ While suca efforts are made to circulate ialse- hood anda to renger it popular, it 18 fortunate that we can learn the iull aud simple truth FROM THE LIPS OF THK POPE HIMSELF, In his encyclical he gives an account of the sacrileges committed in kome and Oi tie expulsion ol religious men and women trom their peacerul ho.aes, aud of the many outrages beaped upon himsell aud on dignitaries Of (he Caurct; he also desciibes the burbarity with which learned and holy biguops and priesis avs beer treated tn, Switzerland, and puts beiore the world tue ui worthy and ungrateiul way in which the Catholics ol Germany, alter having rendered signai services to their country during the iste War, have been treated by the German imperial government. in- deed, the whole object of the bisters Of that empire appears to be to bring down tue Catholic Chureh to toe level of sny buman political tustitu- tion; to assume to themseives, Protestants or iree thinkers as they are, the mght of appointing bisbops and parish priests and of reducing them to vhe condition of bailiils or policemen—a measure which woud do away with the supernatu. ai char- acter of the Church and destroy her unity and catholicity, a8 Well as the wholesome induence which her goctrines, practices and disciphne ex- ercise upon the world, the insolent tyranny with which the Minisvers of the German Empire, walk- ing in the tootsteps of Henry Vill, and Queen hizaveth, endeavor 1o reduce the bishops and priests of Germany to degrading bondage, aad THE MACHIAVELLIAN POLICY adopted in Geneva and Basie for the purpose of subjecting the clergy to the State, by depriving them oi the means of subsistence which they de- rived fiom the Jreasury, allord us just grounds to congratulate ourse ves that ireland las aiways Opposed a royal yeto on the appointment of her prelates, and scorniully rejected the pensions and Javors witv Which it was so ‘ojten sougbt to bind the Catholic Church with @ golden link to tne Crown. 4m connection with Prussia the Pope states that the cuntemptible sect of heretics which has usurped the name of Old Cathoilcs, had ap- pointed @ bishop without any canonicai authority, and had sent bim to be sacrileyiously consecrate by a Jansenist Bishop of Holland. To save the faithfui irom being contaminated by any com- munication with this uniortunate man the Pope, as head of the Church and supreme pastor of the fold, suspends and excominunicates bim, and di clares ali excommunicated who assist and en- courage this adventurer or participate inany of his ecelesiastical acts. In defiance of this solemn judgment oi tue Pope HE EMPEROR OF GERMANY usurping the junctions of head of the Catholic Church, has declared tuat Hubert Reinkens (this 1s the prelate’s name) is 4 proper and lawiul bishop fndto be treated and recognized as such, Un- doubtediy this attempt of a otestant prince and of @ great leader of tie Freemasons to give spiritual jorisdiction to a bishop over Catholics and to teach them who the true bishops of the Church are, will be laughed at by ail serious people ; but it 1s well the :act should be remembered, in order to show into what wild absurdities men high in authority and, of much worldly prudence williall when they eadeavur to usurp the rights o1 the Church and to invade the domain of spiritual power, It is well aiso that these facts siiould be- come public, su that the adherents of the new sect of Vid Catholics may know that they are sepa- rated from the Church of Christ as rotten branches from the mysuc vine. As to the new sect itsell, resting jor support merely on despotic wer, Freemasonry, fanaticism and schism, it has nothing to commend it to Catholicity, andim & short time it will fall into oblivion, jike so pany other sects that have made a@ noise Jor a while and then disappeared. From the pic- ture so accurately drawn by St. Peter’s successor ot the present state of ecclesiastical affairs we cannot buat be convinced that religion 18 sur. rounded by great (angers—that, in the words of the prophet, “the gentiles have raged, and the peo- le devised Vain things—that the kings o} the earth have stood up and princes met together against the Lord aud against His Christ” in the person of His vicar on earth, Indeed, emperors, kings and chiela of republics have actively engaged in this unholy Wariare, Or at least have silently sanc- tioned it by Jooking on with cold indiiference while it is carried on by others. Even here at bome, im this free country, there are people anxious to encourage the attacks made on the Church, and a meeting is to be held in London in next Jauuary to express sympathy with the Em- peror William and Prince bisinarck in thew attempts to destroy the liberty of Cathulics in the German Empire. Strange'to say, LORD RUSSELL, formerly an ardent champion of religious freedom and of political refurm, has promised to act as chairman of this meeting. It is to ve regretted that, in the evening of his long life, this noble lord should become so Weak as to lorget the aspirations Of hig youth, and to unlearn tie lessons o; liberality which be gave to others jor so many years. We may be persuaded, however, that, as he imitates the exuimple Of @ trojan king in girding his totrer- ing limbs for the fignt, so his blows will fall as harmiess on the cadse of Catholic truth as did the shait oi Priam on the shield of the Grecian hero, However, we must BE PREPARED FOR PERSEOUTION « and suffering, for such is the jot of those Who wish to live piously; but we can all console ourselves with the thought that the Church is builton @ rock, and that the gates of hei! and the powers of earth cannot prevail against ner, Kyverything else may jade—empires and Kingdoms and republics may | nage a War Dagens and IARKUARoS Ald Custos ALA laws may dic out or be changed—but the.prommes of God to His people shalt never jail, and the Catholic Church suall remain iM the ireshness of youth ang in the iulness of its puwer uutil the end of time. Undoubtedly the signs of the: times are nOW menacing, the .eavens are dark, and are raging on every side; but the faichful children of the Church, coniding im the protection of heaven, fear notring ior their Holy Mother, but wait with patience until the winds and waves with be calmed, and peace and happiness restored to mankind, sorely afflicted by the prevailmg evils. United ta t @00 Charity with tne millions ot devoted Catholics spread over the world, let % also, reverend brethren, await with conf- dence the dawn of better days, in the meantime having recourse to heaven, according to the ex- hortations of His Holiness, in iervent and hum- ble prayer, which ascends to the throne o! tne Almigity, and brings down His mercy on the earth. You cam do #0 with great advan- tage during the tf consoling days of U! going to the stable of Bethionem and throwing ‘ourselves ip faith at the feet oi our infant Saviour, the great Prince ot Peace, begging of him to restore tranquillity to the Chure! break the bonds of the holy prisoner of the Vatican and to grant him a glorious triumpb over the enemies of religion, To give more efficacy to our ers and to enable ail to join in them I request you to have the Litany of the Blessed Virgin chanted and ben- ediction given jor the above intentions on Christ Mas Day, the sunday within tie octave and on New Year's Day, and on ali days within the octave when itcan be conveniently done, { grant one huadred days’ indulgence to all who attend these sacred ceremomes. Besides praying it 1s desira- ble to have recourse to otver lawiul and useiut means, in order to promote the welfare of the Church and the saiety of 11s supreme head and tor Secure spiritual advantages ior ourselves, YOu cam, do so by establishing brauches of THM OATHOLIC UNION in your respective parishes, and assisting that use» ful organization in promoting the religous objects for which it has been cutled into existence. If we ‘unite and cooperate: With the other we shall oe able to do much good, and as the ovjects proposed, by the Union are ail praiseworthy, and ail coniormity with tue teaching of the Catholic Chureh, Catholics, who are really such in princip! aud practice, will do @ meritorious work i they enroll themselves in the Union. Of course those who are only Catholics’in name, who do not fulfil the duties o! good Catholics, or who are not obedt- ent children of the Church, are not invited or ex- peoted w Sage in & work eminently Cutholic, I shalt merely add that the parvchial branches of the Union, under the d rection of the clergy, can do much good by establishing societies ior the promotion of temperance, and by in- ducing their membe: to sanctify them- selves by attending to all religious duties, and especialiy by frequenting the sacrament of benanc? and of the Blessed Bucuarist, Temper- ance societies thus tounded oa the solid basis of re- ligion will contribute very much to check the growth of drunkenness, wmch is the source of in- numerable evils in Ireland. The branch unions may wiso be made useiul in founding circulating libraries where they do not exist, or in improving and eularging them where they ave veen already introduced, As so much Is done by the press to in- fect the minds of you.h, we shouid make efforts to counteract the poison, and to suply good and wholesome reading Jor ‘he edification and instruc- tion 0) the rising generations, All vooks against religion and morals,.uil dungerous romunces and “novels which disturd the mind and corrupt the heart, and those newspapers which are filled with sarcasm against the Catbolic reiigion, or encourage secret societies or revolutiouary movements so structive to society, or which pubiish filtsy re- yorts of divorce Or criminal Cases, well Calcu- ated §=6to corrupt public =moruitty, should be careiully exciuded. There are several good newspapers iree irom such stains in Ire- Tand, which could be useiully eacouraged, to which I will add the 7ablet, a Cathoiic paper of London, which contains every week a@ gieat deal ol accurate Koman and Catholic intelligence, while it deiends Cathouc principles with great power and puts in proper lizht all the facts connected wie the persecutions now raging on the Continent of Europe. ‘Yo con. tude, reverend brethren, in the present | sieeslas | of the Chureh, aud while iniquity and irrelivion rule 80 widely ou the earth, we should reculiect the exhortation of St. Paul (Epb., Vi, 11), to put on the ardor of God that we way be able to stand against the deceits of tae devil. The oe tection o} Heaven 18 most necessary; all that is wicked, ali that is powerful on eartn, leagued against religion; 80 that, with the same apostie, we can say:—“Uur wrestling {s not seains! flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers— @guinst tue riers of tne world Of this durkness— fyainst the spirits of wickedness in high places,” Let us, theretore, take the shield o: faith to en. able us to extinguish all the flery darts of the most wicked one, and put on the helmet of salva- tion, and gird on the sword of the spirit, so thas we inay be ready tor the battle of the Lord and able co resist tae assaults of our enemies, Let us incessantly pour out our hearts, in contrition and humility, to the Lord of Heaven, begging of Him to protect anu assist the Church and to preserve her irom danger; and let as recommend our petitions to the intercession of the Holy Mother of God, the help of Christians and the refuge of sinners, who will not refuse to assist us, and who can obtain every favor for us from her Divine Son. The grace of our Lord and Saviour be with you. + PAUL CARDINAL CULLEN. Dus_m, Dee. 18, 1873, THE CASE OF SEXATOR ENCER. + No Question of Dignity, Honor. or Cor- ruption—simpiy One of Law. WASHINGTON, Jan, 9, 1874, To THE EpIToR OF THR HERALD:— 1 notice, with much pala, the following in the Hsratp of the 7t! Next 1x Oxpyr—The Senatorial Investigations in the caves of Senators Matterson, of South Carolina, and :pen- cer, of Alataina. Bosh cases bear a sorry aspect, 60 tar as Senatorial aignity and honor are concerned. I know nothing of Mr. Patterson's case of my own knowledge, but am thoroughly posted on Mr. Spencer's. No man was ever more taifly elected than Mr. Spencer. He received a majority in both houses of all the legally elected members of the Legislature, the repuvlicans having such majority and voting for no other candidate, Alter the compromise effected by Attorney General Williams there were seated in both branches, House and Senate, a majority of legally elected members, who voted for Mr, Spencer, which had the effect of endorsing their action while 1n a separate body in the Court House at Montgomery. The same body which elected Mr. Spencer elected a Public Printer, and upon a contest jor the latter place the Supreme Court of the State of Alabama decided that election legal, and held that the Court House Republican Legislature was properly organized and consti tuted and auly authorized to élect a Public Printer and United states Senator aad to enact jaws and perform all other acts or duties incident to a Legisiative Assembiy. Tae whole case lies mm a notsueil, The democratic outgoing State gov- ernment, eager to secure a democratic Legislature, conspired to deprive legally elected members of their certificates, and gave seven democrats cer- tificates of election who Were deseateg by majori- ties of trom 700 to 2,000 in — republi- can counties, where the Grant electoral and republican county tckets were largely in preponderance—bveing what are known as negro or coloured counties, it was their inten- tion to ‘count in” the whole democratic State ticket; but as immense gains wele unexpectedly made by the repuvucans in North Alabama, Gover- nor Lewis’ (the rejublican candidace) majority was tuo large to manipulate in that manner, When the elected candidates were sworn in and became possessois of Lhe State archives and rec- ordg it was iound that the outgoing democratic Secketary of State had given certificates iu de- fiance of the returns made by the election officers, on file in his office, and thereupon he fed the State to avoid indictment and conviciion in tne Courts, and is now a reiugee. The outgoing democratic Governor, K. B. Lindsay, was honoravie enough to denvunce the whole conspiracy ; aud several other upright democrats—ex-Governor Shorter smong the number—pronounce the attempt to thus de- tvaud the people of tueir just rights as monstrous and indelensivie, A nest of conspirators, some of whom profess to be republicans, have recently attempted to em- broil Mr, Spencer in the de) jon of the late Col- lector Widmer, at Montgomery, by asserting that he had borrowed money of Widmer and given bis hote therefor, ‘This charge ts utterly untrue, and the Montgomery Advertiser and Mai, which journal published the siander, bas been sued for libel, Mr. Spencer never borrowed, had or received a penny irom Widmer; never gave him a note or bill, nor ever had a transaction with bim in his tife, Wid- mer was an old time enemy of Spencer and a Iriend and henchman ot ex-Sengtor Warner. {ne attitude of Spencer and Widmer, as partisans, was hostile, and, apart irom all other. considera- tions and knowiedge oi the facts, it is out of reason to suppose that Widmer would have loaned money to Spencer—who is hewlgilelach im in- dependent circumstances—or that Spencer, being inimical to Widmer, and not needing money trom anybody, Would have borrowed from Mr, Widmer. The wuole aifuir, in its bearin,;a upon Mr, Spencer, is a shameful, maucious iwsehood. ‘There 1s no question of honesty or Integrity involyed in Mr. Spencer's case, no charges of bribery or corruption, nor of improper influences, ‘The question to be decided by the Committee on Privileges aud Elec- tions 18 one of law only, and rests upon the simple proposition of whether the “Court House’ body Was a legally constituted Legislature, empowered to elect a Senator or otherwise. The contestant, Dr. Francis Sykes, alleges that the “Capitol” vody, which claims to have elected him, was the le al it Legislature, or that neither body couid elect. Supreme Court of the State bas uecided ad erste to the facts and Jaw relied on by Dr. Sykes, and al outside talk of “dignity, honor, corruption, fraud, &c.," is simpiy buncombe and bosh, iPN. A PERILOUS PRACTIOE, On Saturday afternoon a party of boys were en- gaged in shooting at some cats in the rear of the residence of Bernard McDonald, No. 1,053 Latay- etre avenue, Brookiyn, when one of the bullets ¢ tered the parlor of the house aud lodged in the wall, There were several persons in the room, but hone of them were anincad. thouzd all wore Jorribix fughigned