The New York Herald Newspaper, December 12, 1875, Page 5

“DYNAMITE. Fatal Explosion of “Giant Powder” at Bremerhaven, 2 , NEW YORK WiIRATD, ‘SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1875—QUADRUPLE SHEET. | ‘only awaited the transfer of the loggage to the hold to receive orders of departure, while the Deutschland people were at Southampton, hundreds of miles away, and did not expect the Mosel until Monday night or Tuesday morning. When these facts were disseminated about the city and the startling bulletins of the: early morning had been removed from outside the offices of the evening papers there was a tecling of relief experi- enced among our citizens, though the sudden termina. tion of so many lives, even so far remote from New Forty Persons Killed and Many | York, stil! remaied as anpleasant intelligence, Others Wounded. ‘THE AGENTS’ THEORIES, ‘The agents, in Bowling Green, hoped to receive other telegrams during the day particularising with some de- gree of minuteness the details of the explosion at their Disaster on the Dock and on Board the | wharf, vat those did not come, The cause ot tho acci- Steamship Mosel. The Vessel Delayed in Her Voy- age for New York. ASAD SCENE AT THE PLACE OF THE CALAMITY [SPECIAL DESPATCH TO THE HERALD BY CABLE. ] Lonpon, Dec, 11, 1875, The Hxnaup correspondent at Bremen pier where Sia speamner is 1 telegraphs the following alarming intelli- gence:— A FATAL EXPLOSION. An explosion of a case of dynamite—known dent, as thus advised by the company at Bremen, seemed to the former improbable, That a passenger should have such a dangerous compound as dynamite among his luggage for an ocean voyage, upon first re- flection, appeared almost absurd and beyond belief, yet the fact must be credited, The explosion had taken place and the lives of almost, three score persons had been sacrificed, Believe it they must, but the telegram was of such a vagno character they eagerly watched for fuller information, A® this was not received, they kindly gave the Heraup reporter tho outline of the lan Boura thelr stoamots at Bromeraven. All te’ work of booking passengers is done at Bremen, and about twelve o'clock each sailing day a special train runs from the latter to the former place, arriving about two "clock. The train runs down to the end of the stone one hour is required to effect the shipment, First to go on board are the passengers. Then the stevedores and porters transfer the to the hi the ves- sel, when, at three o'clock, all other circumstances favorable, the steamer sails. A stop is made at South- ampton for otber ngers and the English mails, tho departure from the latter port usually occurring on morning. Here it was that the rescued onlay ‘n America as ‘giant powder”—took place Deutschland passengers were waiting for the Mosel to-day at Bremerhaven. WANT OF CARE WITH A DANGEROUS AGENT. The case which contained this very dan- gerous substance was lying on the quay, in | Make this story a very plausible ono. the midst of the luggage of the passengers, *t the moment when the steamship Mosel hauled out of the dock preparatory to start- ‘ng on her voyage for New York. MANY LIVES Lost, From forty to fifty lives have been lost by the explosion. MANY WOUNDED. Many persons have sustained severe wounds, A MOURNFUL PARTING. The killed and wounded were for the most oart spectators who had assembled on the dock to see the vessel move off. ‘THE STEAMSHIP DAMAGED. The Mosel is slightly damaged. She sannot sail to-day, but may, perhaps, be in a sondition to take her departure to-morrow. DYNAMITE THE CAUSE, The latest intelligence from Bremen, special to the Hzraro, repeats the first asser- tion that the explosion was caused by dyna- uite, FORTY PERSONS DEAD. ‘Two passengers on board the Mosel were wounded, One of them, Herr Etiner, of Bremen, has just died. Forty persons have already died from the | tnjuries they received. THE RELIEF SHIP, Instead of the Moselle the.steamship Salier will sail for New York next Tuesday, 14th ‘inst, 4 YOPULAR REPORTS JUST AFTER THE FATAL EX- PLOSION. Bremen, Dec. 11—P. M. Immediately after the occurrence of the disaster, and during some hours subse quently, it was reported and believed that the accident was caused by the explosion of the boiler of atugboat, which was plying between the steamship and the shore, BEALIZING A SAD FACT, It was soon ascertained, however, that the | explosion was of a case of dynamite belong- ing to the personal baggage of a passenger. THE FRIENDS OF THE PASSENGERS SUFFERED MOST SEVERELY. It is presumed the actual passengers suf- fered but little, but that the fatalities were chiefly among those accompanying the pas- sengers. THE LATEST DETAILS FROM THE SCENE OF THE DISASTER—TWO PASSENGERS KILLED, Bremen, Dec. 11—Night. Later details of the dreadful calamity at Bremerhaven have just been received. It is now supposed that the case of dynamite was being smuggled aboard by a passenger. TWO PASSENGERS KILLED, Only two of the passengers by the Moselle were killed by the explosion. THE STEAMER itself, it now appears, suffered no particular damage, on account of her great distance from the scene of the explosion. THE NEWS IN THE CITy, The first despatch from London regarding this disaster was full of dramatic horror, Flaming extras detailed with terrible minuteness that the tug Simson, engaged in transferring passengers from the shore to the Mosel, had exploded her boiler, “killing fifty persons and wounding mapny.”” Appended to the announcement was the hurried interenco that the slaughtered half hundred were of those rescued from the wrecked Deutschland, on their way to New York. Being saved from a watery grave only to find death in a more ter rible and sudden shape was enough to startle all who beard the news and make them wonder what strange fate had laid its hands upon these unfortunates, For an hour or two the details of the occurrence as thus told went the rounds down town, and even business men stopped short in their hurried journeys from street to street and found time to utter expressions of regret, ‘THY PACTS. Happily the truth robbed the disaster of some of its lerribleness, An explosion had occurred, and many ‘ives were sacrificed and others no doubt terribly wounded, but the victims were not those who sucha short time before had been so near doath’s door on tho etranded Deutschland, The scene was at Bremerhaven, nthe Weser, not at Southampton, where the rescued | Dassengers were awaiting the Mosel, to embark for New | York, The contradiction came from the office of tho | North German Lloyds, in this city, the resident agents | using all possible despatch to correct the error. True, the dreadful accident had happened to the line, or upon its dock, but the killed and wounded were not of the ill-fated vessel whose sides of iron are now being smashed by the angry waves of the North Sea The | of the wisest politicians u | thenomination, The highest vote cast for Goode was | 63, when there wasonly ono other candidate before OPENIONS 48 TO THE KILLED, That the majority of those that were killed by the explosion begs the nts did not believe, They thought it moredikely that the unfortunates were laborers on the quay or friends who had gathered there to see passengers off. The plan of shipment— rs first and then the luggage—would seem to Laborers or not, however, the agents here feel very badly that the acci- dent has happened and wondered what sort of a de- cree of fate it was that had ordered two such disasters as the Deutschiandand this of yesterday to their line. For cighteem years the vessels of the North German Lioyds have been among the safest of the many cross- ing the ocean, But two serious accidents had beforo occurred in its existence, and these without loss of life. The Union — pt jem on the toy : of Scotland in oh earlier days of the company, and two years since the Konig William. was lost on ghe Dutch ‘coast, Of this record the company was naturally proud, and they deeply deplore the recent occurrences, The agents here, however, feel that the explosion at Bremer- haven should not be laid at the door of the company, as it fs impossible to know the contents of the passengers’ luggage, and they also 2's that the forthcoming investi- gation will relieve the officers of the Deutschland from any charge of criminal neglect. ‘THE CAUSE OF THE DISASTER. Dynamite, or “giant powder,” was invented by M. Noble, a Swedish chemist, in 1866-67. It consists of nitro-glycerine absorbed by some porous inert solid, ‘The best material for an absorbent isa siltcious infuso- rial earth foand in Hanover, Germany, and known as kiessel gubr. It willabsorb and retain abont three times its weight of nitro-glycerine, and has the appear- ance of damp Grabam flour. This dorm. prevents the transmission of ordipary sudden shocks, except under pressure in a confined space. The presence of the inert mineral constituents serves also to absorb heat, so that ‘a high temperature cannot be easily imparted to the whole; bat when imparted this temperature effects a great expansion of the gases and increased eflectiveness: of explosion. Ignited im the 0, air dynamite burns quietly with nitrous flames. Exploded (usually by means of fulmimating fuse or cap), it gives carbonic oi trogen and bh: with little or no smoke, It has been reg: safest of all explosives, not being affected longed temperature of 100 degrees centigrade, as dangero! by a pro- ig hor is it us a8 nitroglycerine when it solidifies at eight degrees centigrade, Neither light nor electricity nor ordiuary shocks cause it to decompose or explode. The principal dangers connected with its use are those of the strong fulminating powders used in the percus- sion fuses to explode it, Dynamite, if carelessly made, containiag an excess of nitro-glycerine, may, by the latter overcoming the capillary force of the mineral particles, collect in dross and settle from the mass, and become a source of serious accidents. Moreover, it may be that freezing, or thawing after freezing, has a tendency to segregate the ot). Professor Draper, i one of his works on popular science, hus it that Noble was led to the experiments from which resulted dynamite y Ae! fearful explosions of nitro-giveerine at Aspinwall, Francisco, Sydney and elsewhere years ago, Afver reference to the usual means of exploding, Professor Draper adds that M. Guyot, a French chemist, has shown that the nitro- Migros souk out on nthe eyes with ind, and, saturating the paper cartridges and boxes, be onme the iain in.which it is readily exploded by a ‘I lowe namite was used for a time at the government works at Hell Gate, but the detonation was found to be too great and it was abandoned, The effect was to start the seams in the river bed above and threaten the flood- ing, of the mine. he experience in this country of accidental explo- sions of dynamite are very and the age of the compound when nitro-glycerine will exade from it and in confined places ignite by spontaneous combustion is @ matter of speculation. DESCRIPTION OP THE MOSEL, ‘The steamship Mosel, which was damaged by the ex- plosion, 1s owned by the North German Lloyds, and was to sail’ from Bremerhaven Yesterday in place of the Saker, the regular vessel of the lino, laid over until next week. The Mosel was built in Glasgow, in 1871, in both bull and machinery, by Messrs. J, Klder & Co. She ts 358.2 feet in ieee on deck, 41 feet breadth of beam, 18.2 depth of bold, has three iron decks and is 8,252 tons measurement.’ Her engines are of the verti- cal compound, with cylinders 6044 inches and 112 inches in diameter and a stroke of piston of 4 feet. The power of the engines is equal to 2,000 horses, She is fitted with six tubular boilers and has nine water- tight bulkheads. Her plates are of wrought iron and the skin of the vessel is thoroug! cemented. The Mose! is well built and capable of any service. Hor rig is that of abrig. She is considerably larger than was the wrecked Deutschland. THE AMERIQUE'S PAS: ENGERS, Inquiry at the office of the General Transatlantic Steamship Company in reference to the condition of the disabled steamer Amérique develops the fact that the agents are not concerned for her safety. After be ing spoken on the 2lst ult. by the China, to which steamer a small part of her passengers were trans- ferred, she was seen about the Ist inst. by the steamer Koln some 500 miles due west from Brest, The follow- ing passengers were taken by the Chin: M. Je Comte de St. Paul and Mme. le Comtesse de St, Paul, of Paris; Mr. and Mrs. K. Liais and three children, of New York; Mr. Gretano Broga, of San Francisco, and L. H. Brodeur and A. Brodeur, of Philadelphia, The names of the cabin passengers carried by L’Amérique, sixty-three ip number, are as follows: Mme. Fijux, M. de Beausacq, Mr. J. Jackson, Mr. Chapin, Miss Chapin, Dr. E. Esterbrook, Mrs, Easter- brook, B. F. Isherwood, T. Zeller, Mrs. Zeller, Mr. L’Abbe Sorin, Mrs. J. D. Bird, Mrs. Curtis and two children, Charles Hall, Mr. and Mrs, E. Liais and three children, C. Hegle, H. Schindler, Luigi de l’Orto, Pro: pero Luccio, P, Giraux, Charles Parisot, Feron La- janche, Mme, A. Isner, Mile. P. Giry, Mile. H, Schibba, Francois Barbe, M. Conjard, Mile, Caroline Diedrich, L. Duverne, A. Beal, J. Brot, Mr. Zaunier, Mine. Fournies; ‘A. Chardron, of New York; Mr. and Mme, Piquette, of Detroit; Mr. KE, Larne, ‘Mile. M. Gary, Havre; William Fair, Lewis Fair, Mrs, George Fair, St. Louis: Count and Countess St, Paul, Dr. Filol, Mr! Redon, of Paris; Captain Bebic, Mr. Le Brun and child, of France; Miss Eliza Starr, Miss M. Letourneau, of Chi- Mme, L. Petel and child, A. Puchu, of New Or- Mr. Gaetano Braga, of San Franctreoy L. B. Brodeur, A. Brodeur, of ‘Philadelphia; W. Start, of Boston. There were also seventy-five passongers in the stecr- age, THE SUNNYSIDE DISASTER, Poucuksgrsie, Dec. 11, 1875, ‘The work of grappling for the body of Sarah Butler, the last of the victims of the Sunnyside disaster, ceased to-day without success and tho grapplers have been dis- charged, The body will probably not be found beforo spring. UNITED STATES SENATOR FOR VIR- GINIA. THE RESULT OF YESTERDAY'S CAUCUS OF THE DEMOCRATS—NO CHOICE—ONLY CONJECTURE AS TO THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE. Ricmonp, Deo, 11, 1875, Seven ballots were taken to-day in the democratic caucus to nominate a United States Senator to succeed Senator Johnston without {any other result than to show tbat all the voting to the present time has been of the veriest species of filibustertng. Under the rule that the lowest candidate should be dropped on the next succeeding ballot, but renominated time afterward, if desired, all of those put forward so far have been dropped once or twice, with the exception of Hon, Jobn pte ty sh et from the Second Con- ressional district Besides this gentleman those who jaye developed the greatest strength are Senator Johnston and ex.Governor Letcher. But it is the opinion t neither of them can obtain 5 < private message which to this extent gave a truthful | the caucus, which ts claimed to have been more than Version of the disaster js as follows:— Oxsnics:—Great explosion at Bremerhaven by a case of dynamite on quay belonging to passenger Juggage. Many lives lost, Mosel slightly damage Expect to sail her to-mort LLOYDS. ‘The agents further explained how it was utterly im+ possible for the Deutschiand’s passengers to have been near the scene of the explosion, The Mosel was at her his actual strength. With this view of the situation it is believed that some yet unnamed man will be the re- ciptent of the Senatorial namination, which is equiva- lent to an election. Speculation points exclusively, to- night, to State Senator Daniel, from Lynchburg, who is one of the youngest members of the Geueral Assembiy, But what turn events will take it is now impossible to conjecture, A feature of the canvass is that there is not only no lobby in favor of any candidate, no bribery or corruption of any sort, bnt not even the attempted regular dock at Bremerhaven, almost ready to sail, and_| phean onzabous of votes by champagne and Giguie | I THE DEUTSCHLAND Th) Bodies of a Father and His Child Identified, THE CORPSES TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED, The Survivors Going Down to Another Unfortunate Ship. NUMBER OF THE SAVED--PASSENGERS AND CREW [SPECIAL DESPATCH TO THE HERALD BY CABLE. } Lonpon, Dec. 11, 1875, The Henatp correspondent at Harwich telegraphs specially as follows :—The bodies o Theodore Fundling and his child, who vere lost in the wreck of the steamship Teutschland, have been identified. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DEAD. Photographs of the corpses will be taken to-morrow. Consul Williams will supply copies. THE FUNERAL, The burial of the dead will take place on Sunday, the 12th inst. THE SURVIVORS JOURNEYING TOWARD NEW YORK. The survivors of the disaster left London o-day for Southampton, with the intention of voyaging from that port in the steamship Mosel for America, NUMBER OF THE SAVED AND LOST. Corrected lists show that forty-six passen- gerg. have been saved out of 116, and that tixften of the crew have been saved out of 103. MORE BODIES RECOVERED. Private telegrams were received in the city yesterday ‘trom Consul Williams, at Harwich, stating that Babetta Rinderer and child and Margaret and Maria Messirer, ¢f New York, were drowned. Their bodies were re- dovered and the graves will be marked. George Heer- 1el (name omitted in previous lists) was saved, ‘HE CONDUCT OF THE HARWICHERS TOWARD THE DEUTSCHLAND. T) tue Epiror ov tue Heraup:— Sin—The extraordinary behavior of the authorities ai Harwich, in regard to their tardy resoue of the crew and passengers from the wrecked Deutschland, will, doubtless, claim the attention of the press both in Europe and the United States, But there is one fea- ture which has hitherto escaped notice, The ex- ctse’ made by the Harwich people was that they had no lif and that the sea was too rough to permit ordinary boats to be launched. Now, it was well kaowa at Harwich that at about equal distance from themselves and the wreck are situated twe seaports—Margate and Ramegate—at both of which stasions lifeboats of the most approved principle were located, specially ‘at Ramagate, where every appliance for paving life at sea is kept in constant readiness, is it possible that the authorities at Harwich, while pro- fessing their own Tasty to go to the rescue of those dying before their eyes, did not think of the simple al- ternative of sending a telegram via London to either or both of the towns I have mentioned. . Had they done this all would have been saved. The ‘men of M ‘are noted for their courage and pluck, and before the lifeboats were invented never failed to respond to a signal of distress, but would pat to sea in their open ers in the darkness of astormy night, in the face of a sea that might appal the stoutest On be Diecak Mecente ig a tablet to the memory of a crew who nobly perished on such an occasion; the large first class ship Northern Bell Wen gots ttn Seopa Sane Seas uy every on ut, in horrors of that night, the return of one of their boats was waited for in vain, and never returned. In fifteen minutes a despatch could have been sent from Harwich to Margate and Ramsgate, in that caso the rescue would have been made in two or three hours, ARMY INTELLIGENCE. . Wasmarox, Dec. 11, 1875, Captain John F. Weston, Commissary of Subsistence, is ordered to temporary duty at the headquarters, De- partment of Dakota. Inspector General James A, Hardie is directed to proceed to Fort Monroe, Va, un- der special instructions from the Secretary of War, to examine into the necessity for certain improvements to the barracks and quarters and other public struc- tures at tbat post. The resignation of Captain A. H. Holgate, Corps of Engineers, has been accepted. First Lieutenant Charles R. Barnett, Fifth artillery, is de- tailed as Professor of Military Science and Tactics at the Pennsylvania Military Academy, Chester, Pa, re- lieving First Lieutenant G. P. Cotton, First artillery, who is ordered to join his regiment, NAVAL INTELLIGENCE, FLEET OF WAR VESSELS AT NORFOLK .NAVY YARD—CESSATION OF ACTIVE PREPARATIONS, Norvork, Dec. 11, 1875, The iron-clad monitors Nantucket and Passaic ar- rived this morning, atid were towed up to the Yard by the Snowdrop. The Wyandotte also arrived in by the Tallapoosa, The Alert and another monitor are lying below the anchorage ground. The monitor Catskill is hourly expected from Washington. The Plymouth is ready to go to sea, Orders were received from Wash- ington to-day directing the cessation of all operations at the Navy Yard. This very unexpected order put out of employment 875 more men, consisting of fore- imen, mechanics, apprentices and laborers. Thero fs a large fleet of war vessels at the Yard. Tho trial os of the Huron from the Breakwater was very successful. In towing the monitors were assisted by the Tallapoosa, Despatch and Alert. The United States steamer Shenandoah was as Aspin- wall on December 2, The United States steamer Shawmut was at Aspin- wall December 2. The United States steamer Richmond, flagship, was to sail from Callao November 26 for Valparaiso, Wasurtxaron, Dec. 11, 1875, Ensign Lucian Young is ordered tothe Powbatan at Norfolk, Va. Lemuel T. Ellis has been appointed Chief Clerk of the Ordnance Bureau of the Navy Department, to fill the vacancy oocasioned by the death of Mr. Brandt, DEPARTURE OF IRON-CLADS FROM THE WASH- INGTON NAVY YARD—A PORT CONVENIENT TO CUBA, Wasmixaton, Dec, 11, 1875. The iron-clads and other men-of-war which have been fitting out at the Navy Yard here are dropping down to Norfolk, and from there, it is ramored, they will be ordered to Port Royal, where in a short time a large fleet will be assembled, | Port Royal Bay, is very large, safe and convenient to Cuba, and it is spoken of as a fit place to lay the fleet up in winter quarters in case it should not be used, BOSTON NAVY YARD. THREE HUNDRED MEN DISCHARGED — THE RECENT ACTIVITY IN THE DEPARTMENTS SUSPENDED. CHARLESTOWN, Miss., Dec, 11, 1875. So far as the Boston Navy Yard is concerned the lato activity seems to have been but temporary. During the week there have been gradual discharges in all tho departments, particularly in the construction and equipment bureaus, All the hands in the latter have beon suspended, and this afternoon the final discharges throughout the yard included over 300 men. Many of these wero employed on the Vandalia, Essex and Adams—the very vessels which it has been under- stood the governinent was in a hurry for, The fact that the working force of the yard is to reduced two or three hundred more next weak does not indicate any immediate need of war vessels. As may be supposed, this wholesale discharge has caused considerable grumbling and distress among the workingmen, RAPID TRANSIT EXTENSION, The Greenwich Street Elevated Railroad will proba- bly be completed to Sixty-first street within three weeks, This road as yet is the only ono which carries out the idea of rapid transit, and, since it has been completed to Forty-second street, has been doing avery business. The irou columns of the road are now p eed as far as Sixty-first street and the girders to ‘orty-ninth street. A large switch, 814 feet in length, is to be erected at Bank street, on account fof the in- creased traffic. The new Battery switch, 664 feet long, is to be completed within three weeks; likewise the ‘Dairky-fourki sureet switch, of 450 Jeet in length 8T. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON. LECTURE ON MYTHOLOGY BY REV, MONCURE D. CONWAY. A lecture was delivered last night, at Masonic Tem- ple, corner of Twenty-third street and Sixth avenue, by Rev. Moncure D, Conway, on “St George and the Dragon.” The lecture was much wider in its scope than coula have been surmised from the title, which the learned lecturer simply made the peg on which to hang @ vast amount of mythological lore of an analagous kind, He began in a dry, facetious way, by saying that every man had his dragon. Among others he cited Thackeray, whose dragon was a superabundance of in- vitations to dinner, and who was, presumably, killed by the persistent hospitality of those who wanted his wit at their tables, After a few more similar remarks he plunged into his subject, and took the audience straightway to the cradle of the human race, He traced the idea of the dragon back to the earitest times, and showed from Assyrian monuments that the dragon held in the mythology of the family of Nimrod much the same place that it did in Greece and still does among the Japanese and English, The real dragon, the lecturer contended, is simply a creation of the human mind. Turner is credited by Ruskin, in the most culogistic terms, with having em- bodied the dragon in ite greatest perfection. But the lecturer records that Turner, being asked by an admiring friend where he could possibly have found the material for so magnificent a conception, replied that he bad got it at a childre: Christmas tomnime at Drury Lane Theatre. The dragon must partly green and partly brown, mouth and eyes red and a spiked tail. The lecturer explained at some Jength how thas it was simply the myth of the storm. But the serpent-like character of the dragon is its most essential feature, The serpent is looked upon as the jan of all the wealth concealed im the earth, ofall thatis unseen. In this regard the dragon # much the same part as Pluto, whose name in Greek means wealth. Pluto ig supposed to guard all the wealth of Hades, or of tho unseen regions, The fable ot Pluto and Proserpine 1 simply an allegory floral myth. It was supposed in these myths that ser- pents were so opposed to the rain, clouds and sun, as tending to rob the unseen rulers of the world of their wealth by the prodaction of things above ground, that they took wings, tlew op ‘and tried to swallow the sun, The learned lecturer here went into along philological dissertation about the dragon, hunt- ing him through the various Eastern languages, until he at last landed him in the Greek eciduc ‘and in tho Latin anguis, from which, he main- tamed, we get our word’ anguish, From all the analogies of guage he held that the dragon at all times and among all people was simply the Imaginative embodiment of the advorse powers of nature or trying circumstances; that really the various other forms which had grown out of these antique myths could be traced to them, and that our Aryan an- cestors, when they spread themselves over the morth took with them this notion of the dragon, of which fact something will be said later. Ho stated that the highest form of worth, as exem- plified in the pagan gods, consisted in killing some monster of the dragon species, Hercules aud Apollo were duly discussed in reference to the attentions be- stowed by them upon their respective monsters, Apollo was originally a very insigniticant deity, but pales finally made him more important than even jupiter himself, All the gods of any account were supposed to have killed a dragon. But of all the Greek monster slayers Bellerophon was by far the most important, imasmuch as he killed the chimera, Here politics, for the first time, palpably laid hold of these myths, The chimmra has three heads—one that of a lon, one that of a serpent and one that of a goat, The beard cf the goat represents the barbarian, the lon strength and the serpent cunning. The Church took hold of this idea, and having to convert the barbarians who had all these deities who had killed dragons, must of necessity have the same. Thus it came that St. George killed his dragon and St. Patrick banished his snakes, ‘The lecturer handled St. George very severely, said he was a Capadocian, a bacon seller to the army and a scamp. He finally became converted, was made a Dishop, got into trouble in Egypt, was pat into jail and Killed by an Egyptian mob, The fanaticism of the Chris- tians, Who imagined that a bishop could do nothing wrong, made a saint of him; so he is represented as slaying the dragon, probably typical of martyrdom. Here the lecturer devoted five minutes to Mr. Ruskin’s enthusiastic admiration for St. George and the dragon on the gold coin of England, of which Mr. Ruskin has @ great deal, and it is but fair to say that Mr. Conway took his scalp. Mention was next made of the Japanese myth, the oldest known in Japan, and from this and other sources was deduced the reason why the dragon has been 80 frequently taken for the arms of royalty and nobility. Various very curious legends were recounted by the Apeaker, notably those of St. Colombo and St. Patrick, in which the dry, sparkling wit and keen sar. casm of the lecturer showed to great ad- vantage. Perhaps the best of all was the Lambton legend, which would, however, take too long to recount, The main features area knight clad in an rof razor blades and an immense serpent, which ‘cx cut to pieces in attacking the knight. An eloquent Application of all these myths to life brought the leo- ture to a close. THE WRITINGS OF THACKERAY, LECTURE BY PROFESSOR SHEPPARD AT THE CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH. Professor Nathan Sheppard delyered the third in his course of lectures yesterday afternoon, at the Calvary Baptist church, taking for his subject the writings of Thackoray. To begin, the lecturer said, we will call Thackeray's school the school of social satire, He was a writer who used fiction as a means, not as an end; @ novelist who does not excel in plot, but who does excel in satirical portraiture of characters. One of the foundations of fiction is that no other means can accomplish the same object, Thackeray's dialogue is excellent, his charac- ters talk well; 80 ho is not so dependent on plot, He says he is surprised at somo of the observations his characters make, This is true of all writing which writes itself, so to speak; this is perspective in the art of rhetoric, Thackeray's satire plays on the suriace of his characters; it is superficial; it is a touch which gives Thackeray kinship with the French rather than the English. , He has not made much success on our continent, because M18 SATIRE 18 TOO Qurer. ‘The elegant invective of the Saturday Review which makes John Bull wince, is lost on us. We have not time to appreciate it. The assortment and classifica- tion of society 18 what gives the satirist his field. ‘Thackeray satirizes the passion for titles as one form of social vanity, for if we were banished to a desert island we would not care what we were called, being sure we would not be called for dinner. Thackeray worked assiduously, for he had a rough voyage at first. He did some feeble work; he was a sentimental rather than a cynical satirist. His asides, which made a prominent feature of his writings, wero very pathetic and some of his pathetic touches are exquisite, carrying us far from cynicism. He seems to havo written himself into a good style of writing by great painstaking, and for elegant simplicity and simple elo. gance, for compelling you to learn exactly what he means, he has wi ual, He has rhetorical tact and intellectual tact. Bulwer’s RUBTORICAL STERDS aro high steppers. Thackeray's steeds are in piain and exquisitely rich harness and move with sober step. ‘Thackeray was damaged by haying Dickens for con- temporary. Though their styles Wore different, they were too nearly akin, Dickens is so mach tore easy reading. BShakespéaro is damaged by Dickens. In reading you all say, “Oh, yes, of course you prefer Shaker re, but then you read Dickens.”” Thackeray has not written anything equal to ‘Ton Thousand a Year,” by Warren, “There is an instance of a man who wrote one book, and one onl; A word about his women, Thackeray has been reprehended for not putting more brains into his women, but the same complaint has been made of Walter Scott and—tho Almighty. Thackeray excels in charming women of the world. If we have learned from these lectures to prefer the meri- torious to the meretricious, we will not have wasted the time we have devoted to Thackeray, OBITUARY, EDWARD H. STOEES,. Edward H. Stokes, the father of Edward S. Stokes, died suddenly on Friday night, at his residence, No, 15 East Forty-sixth street, in the seveaty- sixth year of his age, Mr. Stokes had long been jn Ill heaith, having never fully recovered from the shock he received upon the announcement of his son’s con- viction, and had been perceptibly declining, mentally and physically, ever since, his disease being the result of suppressed tef and the failure of the hopes he entertained of his son’s pardon by Governor Miiden. Mr, Stokes wasa gentleman of fine personal presence and cultivated manners, and was for many years a suo- cessful merchant in Philadelphia He retired from active business a tong while ago, and has been living a quiet and retired life in this city, where he has been esteemed and respected by irgo circle of friends, His funeral will take ee to-morrow from the Rev. Dr Thomas Armitage’s Baptist church, corner of West Forty-sixth street and Fifth avenue, at one o'clock P. M AARON WESTERVELT. This gentleman, who was a member of the Board of Freeholders of Bergen county, New Jersey, died sud- denly, on Friday, while conversing with some friends at Ramsay's station, on the Erie Railway, He was seventy- two yea age and had been a member of tho Now Jersey Legislature during the years 1868 and 1859, JOHN BELL, Q. Cc. John Bell, a well known Queen’s Counsel, of Toronto, Canada, died suddenly of heart disease yesterday morn- ing, at his residence in Adeluide street, Toronto. SICK IN THE STREET. A young woman, named Annie Thompson, was found sick on the stroct by an officer of the Eighth precinct last night and was sent to the New York Hoxpital WHISKEY WRONGS. A Democrat Appointed to Succeed Spe- cial Attorney Henderson. STRONG EVIDENCE AGAINST BABCOCK, He Asserts His Ability to Show His Innocence. THE PRESIDENT’S SUBLIME FAITH. Possible Investigation by the House of Representatives. Sr. Lours, Dec, 11, 1875, The indictment of General Babcock is still the theme of excited comment here, and there is much specula- tion us to the result of the trial, The evidence against Babcock which bas thus far been made public 1s con- sidered ample to convict. It is also a general belief, for which there seems to ‘be good reason, that the prosecution are in possession of much stronger and more conclusive testimony than has yet been adduced, and that it has purposely been kept in the background in order that it may be used more effectively on the trial. One of the Grand Jurors stated to your correspondent to-night that there is hittle doubt that the government has testimony which was not produced before the jury, intimating that his information came directly from one of the government attorneys, BABCOCK’S CONFIDENCE. It was expected that General Babcock would arrive here to-day to prepare for his trial, but, for some rea- son he did not put in an appearance, and will not leave Chicago until Monday next. Babcock expresses per- feet confidence in bis ability to establish his innocence, but it is noticable that Joyce, McDonald and Avery en- Jjoyed the same feeling of confidence, GRANT BRLIEVES HM MOLACULATR, A prominent citizen of this place, and a personal friend of the President, is in receipt of a friendlydet- ter, under date of December 7, in which that official ex- presses the utmost faith in the integrity of his Private Secretary, and saying that Babcock’s explanation of the suspicious telegram will satisfy even a prejudiced mind of his freedom from guilt, PUBLIC FEELING, Ex-Senator Henderson's friends continue to be indig- nant at the dismissal of that gentleman from the gov- ernment service, and ameeting has been called for Monday night to give expression to the public disap- Proval of the action of President Grant and his Cabinet, AVERY'S REVIVING SPIRITS, Chief Clerk Avery writes to his friends here that since his return to Washington he has obtained such evi- dence of his innocence as will. satisfy any jury. The opinion is somewhat general that Avery wiil be granted & new trial. HENDERSON'S SUCCESSOR APPOINTED, Samuel T. Glover having declined to accept the va- cancy made by the dismissal of ex-Senator Henderson, as government counsel in the whiskey cases, James 0. Broadhead bas been appointed and has accepted the position, He isa pronounced democrat and as hostile to the administration as Henderson. MR. GLOVER DECLINES TO BE SPECIAL COUNSEL FOR THE GOVERNMENT—FEELING IN THE OFFICIAL AND THE POPULAR MIND—SECRE- TARY BRISTOW'S POSITION. Wasutvaron, Dec, 11, 1875, Up toa very late hour this afternoon no appointment of a special counsel to fill the vacancy occasioned by the removal of General Henderson had been sanctioned by the government, The United States Attorney at St. Louis this afternoon forwarded the name of an eminent lawyer for the position, but his designation awaits the approval of the department, which cannot be obtained until after a conference between the President, the Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney General, This will probably take place to-morrow, and the result will be promptly telegraphed to St Louis, According | to the telegram of yesterday, from the Attorney Gen- eral to the United States Attorney at St. Louis, tho selection of a special counsel was referred to him. The nomination of Mr. Glover was suggested on account of ® high estimate of the ability of that gentieman held in the Department of Justice, and there was some | disappointment that other matters prevented the ac- ceptance of the office tendered, WR. GLOVER DECLINES, A telegram from Mr. Giover, received to-day by the Attorney General, reads as tollows :— “Conflicting professional engagements prevent my accepting yourappointment. I have written.” THE WISHES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICR in this particular are but to one point, and that is the selection of a counsel who shall be equally fair and fear- Jess in the discharge of hts official functions, and in this expression of views the President, Secretary Bristow and the Attorney General entirely accord, with the ad. ditional inclination that, should two lawyers of equal professional eminence be presented for appointment to the responsibie office, they would rather have a gentle. man of different political opinions from the administrag tion than one politically in accord with the President, THE PRESIDENT’S DESIRE FOR JUSTICE, Attorney General Pierrepont, in conversation this evening upon the subject of these prosecutions, gaid the President was ardent in bis demand for counsel who would be absolutely fearless in the discharge of tho du- ties attending his office, and would not be satisfied with anything short of the most vigorous and impartial prosecution of the work intrusted by the government to his hands, HENDERSON’S DISCHARGE. Upon the topic of the determination reached in Cab- inet meeting yesterday to dispense with the services of Mr. Henderson, there is a treo and unreserved expression of opinion in the highest official quarters, and members of the Cabinet say thatthe vigor of that counsellor in pressing to the utmost his prosecution of offenders received nothing bat indorsement. The construction upon the language of certain parts of his speech in the Avery trial was that it Is personally offensive to the President and un- warranted by any circumstance arising in the trial. ‘This opinion is declared to be general among Cabinet officers, and Secretary Bristow, who, it had been inti- mated, might not be disposed to thoroughly acquiesce in the determination to dispense with General Hender- son’s services, joined im it as heartily as any other member of the Cabiney HENDERSON'S DIVPICULTY WITH THE PRESIDENT. The statement may be made, upon proper authority, that when the Attorney General presented at tho out- set of these trials tho name of General Henderson a8 special counsel to assist tho United States Attorney in the conduct of the cases on behalf of the government, Judge Pierrepont was not aware of any differences of past origin that still remained between the President and ox-Senator Hen- derson, and when ata later period fn the trials tho Attorney General interrogated tho President as to why the President had concealed the fact of apy hos- tility existing the President replied that he had but one object in the selection of any party to represent the government in the matter, and that was fearless wtontion to the duties requisite to the office, ‘THE COURT OF INQUIRY. ‘There is very little comment upon the action of tho Court of Inquiry in not at present pursuing the investi- gation for which it was organized. This, in the highest judicial circles, fe considered perfectly proper, and the fecling here is in entire harmony with the action of the Court of Inquiry, which will be acquiesced in by the War Department BRISTOW’S POSITION, There is hero, as elsewhere, a general and very an- imated conversation upon tho latest results of the trials, with varied comments upon the discharge of the special counsel. The Attorney General has unhesi- tatingly given his opinion in regard to the dismissal of Mr. Henderson from further conduct of the cases, and says that Mr, Bristow, in this as in other matters, fully concurs with him as to tho propriety of the action taken by the government, Several joint telegrams, signed both by Judge Pierre. pont and Secretary Bristow, have been recently sent to St. Louis referring to the pending trials, The subject of the indictment of General Babcock has } 5 ad little attention here to-day 1m comparison with the change of counsel! in St. Louis. CONGREBSIONAL INVESTIGATION. It is intimated in official quarters in response to sugs gestions that it is possible that the House of Represen- tatives may be disposed to investigate the circum- stances attending the trials; that every act on the part of the government will bear the fullest examination, and an investigation by the direction of Congress would be far from unwelcome. OUTSIDE OPINIONS.” ‘The statements made in the above paragraphs am\ derived altogether from conversations with Cabinet officers, and present only an official view of cireum- stances really happening im connection with the whiskey fraud trials There is now the widest com- ment upon them in all quarters, and outside of high official circles a great variety of sentiment is expressed upon the removal of Henderson. A SOUVENIR OF FATHER GERDEMANN. BISHOP WOOD (B. C.), OF PHILADELPHIA, SUED ¥OR ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-ONE THOUSANI DOLLARS RY HIS PARISHIONERS—AN INTERK ESTING QUESTION TO CATHOLICS—A HISTORY OF THE CASE. Purnapeuraia, Dee. 11, 1875 In the Henatp of December 9 was mentioned curso rily a few facts bearing upon the difficulties at present pending between Right Rev. Bishop Wood, of the Rov man Catholic Church, and a number of his parishion< ers, claiming to be creditors of St. Bonafacius’ church, lately presided over by Father Gerdemann, A HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. It appears that when the erection of this church edi fice was contemplated the Bishop, in casting arcund among his clorgy for aman of good executive ability— which was a positive necessity in the exigency, and more especially in the then condition of the parish~ selected Father Gerdemann, a man in whom he re posed implicit conddence, Under instructions from the Bishop PATER GERDEMANY took the helm, but soon found that the ordinary mean¥ for the attainment of revenues with which to complete- the church were entirely inadequate. In dire distress, it was resolved upon by the dual conclave, but to whom. the credit is due for the brilliant suggestion cannot be ascertained, to organize A CHURCH SAVING ¥UND, opening accounts with depositors, promising them, in the commencement of the scheme, four per cent, which was afterward increased to six per cent interest, the funds returnable upon short notice. How the de- posits were to be returned upon any notice, long or short, when placed in such an investment was a move- meant in finance which wae could not solve, but tho explanation was that they had hoped to have a body of permanent investors, and that those desiring to with- draw could be met by the amounts of new depositors, and so on indefinitely. The interest they hoped to pay out of the revenues of the parish. Whether it would have been a success will never bo known, The defection of Gerdemann led to serious results, notably among which was the bankruptcy of the church. CALLING ON THE BISHOP, Some eighteen mouths ago a meeting of the creditors. was held, the representative indebiedness present being $161,000. Atthis meeting it was resolved te notify the Bishop of his moral and legal re sponsibility in the premises, and a committee was appointed te wait upon him. The result of the conference was promise on his part to do bis best to settle the claims, oratleast make a proposition satisfactory to both parties. In this and in subsequent meetings with the committee and their counsel he has studiously evaded the question of his legal responsi bility, and by his silence as well actions has led them to believe that ha is of the opinion that it is solely in his own option whether he liquidates the claims or ignores them, As Jato as the early part of October they had hoped that His Reverence intended some movement toward re- lieving their necessities, for, without doubt, many had placed their all in this fand and would not have d 80 but for the fact, well known to every Catholic, thi the Bishop 1s the custodian of all Church property and, as such, would be amenabie to all demands, SUING THE BISHOP, Becoming restive from the causes narrated they an now moving in earnest, and through their attorneys are filing claime in the civil courts. They have placed the suits in the hands of Mr, J, Fletcher Budd, who has joined with him Mr. J. Cooke Longstreth and’ Mr, Ed- win D, Chase, In an interview with these gentlemen they expressed a confidence in an ultimate recovery of the fall amounts, principal and interest, THE COMPLAINANTS’ CASE. They base their confidence upon two points of fact and law. The first is that a principal is at all times and in all lands held responsible for the civil acts of his nt The second ts that the entire Church property Of the diocese is subject to judgment and execution under these claims. This they hold as tenable ground from the fact that all deeds of Church or ecclesiastical Property of whatever form are made to the Bishop, hia eirs and assigns, and that such being the fact he the owner, eee sole bar yess of bse entire Church erty in iocese, and necessarily a judgment against him individually stands inst ai Oheen taney of which he is not only the custodian but the owner, is | til his death he holds an absolute tenure and at his death his heirs hold such inberitance, being provided for in a will devising to bis successor in office. This is tt custom of the American Catholic Church. The di | velopments arising out of the ts now being in: tuted will be original and striking, and will open points of law we believe never reached in any case heretofore tried in the civil courts of this country, Judgment has | been obtained in one case before Magistrate Sterne, and up to present writing no appeal has been taken. The Catholics of this diocese will watch with intense solicit- ude the decisions of the courts, for the cases have been | divided among tho four courts which compose our civil sessions. A MYSTERIOUS MURDER. THE SUDDEN TAKING OFF OF DR. CHARLES DUNHAM, OF NEW BRUNSWICK—BEGUILED FROM HIS HOUSE—HIS BODY FOUND IN THE CANAL WITH MARKS OF VIOLENCE. New Bronswick, N. J., Dec. 11, 1875, The city of New Brunswick has to-day been startlod by the discovery of a terrible tragedy, in which one of its most estimable citizens, Dr. Charles Dunham, 1s the victim, The particulars are as follows:—On Thursday | evening last, at eight o'clock, a strange man called at | the Doctor's residence. He was answered by the Doctor himself. After a brief interview betweon them the Doctor went out, no one knows where, but he has been missing ever since until this afternoon, when his dead body was found in the canal, Before he loft the house he wrote a note directed to Dr. N, Williamson, telling him that he had just been summoned to see a patient on board a boat lying in the upper level, that the case was one of severe injury to the foot, and asking Dr. Williamson to state where he could be found, “so, 1p the event of my needing a helping hand I may be able to get hold of you.” THR FIRST ALARM. Mrs. Dunham became very uneasy on Friday morn ing at her busband’s absence, so she sent for Dr. Henry R. Baldwin and told him of her fears. A care ful search was made by Mr. Auguetus Stout (Mra, {| Dunham’s father) and a number of relatives for the | missing Doctor, but their efforts to find him wore fruit less. Toward the afternoon the news of his absence became widespread, and hie friends were thrown into a fearful state of anxiety. At nine o’clock in the even- ing @ party consisting of Dr. Baldwin, William H. Fisher and Colonel Newell searched the upper leVel of the canal, They had the water drawn off into the race- way, but still their efforts were not rewarded by any discovery, ON THE TRATL. ‘A clew was subsequently found which ultimately re vealed the mystery. A little boy named Charles Cronk had found on the canal bank a pocketbook of the Doctor’s. The canal opposite pot was searched this afternoon, and the remains of the Doc- tor were found. There were marks of violence on the pouy, His head and forehead were bruised, evidently by a heavy weapon, and hia neck, under the chin, bore marks of scratches by finger nalis, all indicating that | the unfortunate man had been murdered. The body | was taken in charge by Coroner Kibbe, who thereupon empanelied a jury. As a mark of respect the church bells were tolled and flags placed at half-mast, SKETCH OF THR DOCTOR’s LirK ‘The deceased was forty-two years of age, a native of Savannah, Ga, but his ancestors were originally natives of New Branswick. Hoe practised modicine in that city for about eighteen years. In 1869 he was mainly instramental in the erection of Masonic Hall— a beautiful building. He was Past Master of Union No, 19, F. and A. M., and in his lifetime had been presiding officer of nearly every Masonic organiza- tion in New Brunswick. He leaves a wife and one child, a daughver, ten years old. He was a tn. offensive citizen, highly esteemed, and had not, so far as is known, an enemy. His untimely end bas thrown ‘a deep pall of gloom and sorrow all over the city. It is | ex that the inquest will probably discover the perpetrators of the bloody deed. WESTERN FREIGHT RATES, The Chicago and Northwestern, the Chicago, Bure Yington and Quincy, and the Illinois Central rai/roads have entered into an agreement to advance freight rates, commencing next Monday, to all pane in lowa The Western classification of freights alone will be accepted as the basis on whieh the rates are to be fixed, and the prices will be erned entirely by that ruler Special freights will be graded from CI only at fourth class rates. The rates to afew of the principal points in lowa will be found below :— From New York to Independence the rates will be for first class $1 64 per 100 pounds; second class, $1 455 third clags, $1 21; fourth class, ‘01 cents; special, $k cents. To Watorloo—First class, $1 67; second class, $147; third class, $1 23; fourth class, 92'cents; speci S2conts, To Cedar Falls—First class, $1 68; seco class, $148; third clase, $124; fourth class, 03 cent speciul, 83 cents To Fort Dodge—First class, $1905 second’ class, $1 70; tird class, $143: fourth class, $1.09; special, 99 cents,