The New York Herald Newspaper, December 18, 1875, Page 6

THREE LIVES FOR ONE Execution of the Negro Murderers at the Tombs Prison. HOW THE CONDEMNED DIED. A Terrible Scene of Horror at the Gallows. LACK OF POLICE DISCIPLINE. History of the Crime for Which the Men Suffered. THE CASE OF JOHN DOLAN. Yesterday the three negro murderers—Weston, Thompson and Ellis—yielded up their lives on the gallows for the life they had so wantonly extinguished ‘tm Lydig’s Woods in September last, The execution took place in the yard of the Tombs prison ana was ‘viewed by a large number of men of allages and con- ditions in society. Tho legal tragedy was marked by | scenes of disorder among the spectators, @ wotul lack | ‘of discipline on the part of the police and a scene of | utter horror. TUR LAST NIGHT. Silence had at last settled down upon Murderers’ | Row. The condemned men did not retire at once. | ‘Weston and Thompson deferred their last sleep until | one o'clock and it was about two when Ellis sought his eouch. As there was now nothing particularly inviting in the Row ihe Hegatp reporter betook himself to the en- trance, where Warden Quinn and a couple of deputy sheriffs represented the vigilance of the law. But few would surmise the tenderness of heart hidden under ‘the stern exterior of the Warden. The conversation, as ‘was natural under the circumstances, first turned upon ‘the condemned men, then upon Dolan, again upon politica, finance and various other subjects, One of the fagged deputies retired to a lounge in the Doctor's room. Not long after this a loud knock was heard at the Tombs’ outer gate; the gate was opened, and a voice sail, ‘I’ve brought some coffins for you.” “Bring them in,” said the Warden. Accordingly, these re- cepiacies for defunct humanity wore brought in and deposited inside the railed portion of the waiting room, The Sheriff had telegraphed for them to Bellevue Hos- pital The Spartan simplicity of these coffins certainly lent no charm to death, Rougbly put together of white pine, daubed with a little raddle, with ordinary nails to fasten down the lid, they looked cold and re- puisive, Two of the prison bands soon carried them out of sight, Nothing of importance transpired afier ‘this episode until a few minutes after five ‘o'clock, when it was announced to the Warden tbat the condemned men had arisen. About this time Weston’s sister came, gave him some underclothing, and sooa departed, Weston’s wife did not come unti! later, and then the crowd about the jail was 60 great that, being unable to bear the crush while waiting, she quietly withdrew, Later she bade Weston adieu in the prison yard. Atabout half-past six o’clock the Hxracp re- porter again entered Murderers’ Row. There was acer- tain amount of bustle and stir as the various clergymen | Thompson and | arrived and began their ministrations. Weston assisted at mass, said by Father Duranquet; | Ellie was attended to in his cell by Rev. P. A. Davis, H. ‘iH, Garnett, J. H. Lightbournand J. 8. Willis, Ellis had risen at five o'clock, but, feeling sleepy, lay down again at balf-past six and fell intoa profound slumber. Dojan put im an appearance about seven o'clock, and heard mags with the condemned men, He looked calm ‘sna sad. At about half-past seven o'clock Police Captains Lowery, of the Sixth precinct; Clinchy, of the Thir- teenth ; Williams, of the Fourth; Caffery, of the Fifth; McCullough, of the Seventeenth, and Murphy of the Twenty-first, arrived, with a force of men from each precinct, the whole being taken in hand by Inspector Dilks. ‘The advent of the police was the first real notice given ‘bat thegrim business of the morning was not far dis- dant. Presently the prison breakfast was served out, | and ali the prisoners securely locked in their celis, TEE CONDEMNED, There was nothing notable about the demeanor of any wfthe condemned, with the exception of Ellis, whose chief care, after the discussion of a beef-eteak breakfast, seemed to be to arrange his toilet with the most scru- gulous care. When this was finished he did fot look unlike # hired colored waiter. He wore a pair of slippers, black pants and coat, a white waistcoat and a white necktie, He | devoted especial attention to his hair, which, vy reason of ite shortness and its stubborn disposition to curl, gave him considerable trouble. Having satisfied bim- | self that he was in faultless full dress, he surrendered himselt to the minietrations of the ministers who had | tome to smooth the path to the grave for him. It may be incidentally mentioned that on Thursday evening, just after the religious exercises conducted by the col- | ered clergy in Murderers’ Row had been brought to a | ki NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1875.—WITH SUPPLEMENT. corner. and there stood in imminent danger of having the structure fall beneath their weight. IN THE CRLLB, As soon as Sheriff Conner and nis party arrived the formality of reading the death warrauts was gove through with. This and the pinioning of the con- demned occupied the time upul nearly Balt-past nine, Just then Weston asked tor a cup of tea, which wus at | once supplied to him. A pertectly perceptible quiver among those present inside the Jail at once showed that the end hadcome, and Weston was seen emerging from his cell, followed’ closely by Thompson and Ellis. It was a ghastly sight. The appearance of the wretched men was compietely changed. That black cap is an ominous lovking thing. Then the rope, closely Attung the neck, with the noose ip front, and the pinioned | arms spoke with mute but intense power, | THE DEATH MARCH, Precisely at half-past nine o’clock the lines of police separated and formed an ominous lane, through which came, marching in slow and measured step, the Sheriff and bis deputies. In their midst walked the threo condemned men, attended be grad spiritual advisers. Asudden hush ‘fell upon the crowd, and ev even those in uniform, instinctively doffed his hat. ‘The awe that inspired this movement was caused by the terrible shadow hovering over the heads of the men so soon to die a painful Shameful death, As the pro- cession moved along from the door of the prison, through the courtyard to the place where the seatfoid eye was strained to catch a glimpse of the doomed ne- groes, They acted differently under the dreadful or- deal, a8 was to be expected from men so different in their temperaments and characteristics, Weston, the muiatto, had the outlines of his face disiigured by a huge lump of tobacco, which he nervously rolled tn his cheek. Ho was deflant and hardened. He looked about him, apparently much interested in the proceedings, and he walked with a careless and free step. There was no bravado in his demeanor, simply had brought bim to, Thompson, on the other band, Seemed quite unmanned and evidently appreciated the full borror of his situation. He walked feebly, and at listened to the priests who accompanied them, but the mulatto evidently heard the words of comfort spoken without fully comprehending their import, while, on the other band, Thompson was fervent in bis subdued responses, and drank in with eager ears the utter- ances of the pale-faced priest beside him. Both men carried crucifixes in their pinioned hands, Ellis, who died in the Protestant faith, presented a sharp contrast to his companions, both fn his appearance and demeanor, His caretul dress and gloved hands showed action indicated clearly that he had repented and tried to make his with the Creator of all things. Marching steadily forward in company with the colored clergyman who bad so faithfully attended him, Ellis was calm and cool He neither avoided the gaze of the crowd of spectators, nor did he court attention. While evidently conscious of the many faces surrounding him, he paid strict attention to the consolations of the mupister and appeared fully prepared to die. Poor fellow! bad he known the dreadful torture that was be- fore him his nerves would not bave been so swady nor his mind so calm. Thus walked these three men to death, ‘ON THE SCAFFOLD. As the head of the procession turned the corner of the prison building and reached the narrow gate in the feuce that cuts off that part of the yard to the more open one, the awful stillness that had fallen upon the | crowd was broken by a murmur of expectation, and, as if insympathy with the scene, the little patch of sunlight that had lingered on the vorthern wall sud- denly disappeared, Betore the cloud had passed away and allowed the sunshine to return the condemned men found themselves tace to face with tbe dread in- strument of death, The sight of the rough boarding apd the fatal crossbeam had no perceptible effect upon them, neither did they seem to notice that the rope which kept the scaffold clear of intruders the negroes were standing beneath the dangling cords which were destined to take the lives they had for- ferted to the law, AS they stepped on the loose pine flooring Weston, who was in advance, took his position on the mght and faced the spectators, To his right was a space of a few extra feet, in the centre of which, on she beam above, was an empty hole where the day foreband hung the cord tor Dolan, Thompson took the middie place and Ellis the leftside. From that moment the scene at the scaffold was a buey one. The attending priests and minister gathered close around their respective charges and continued praying for the souls of those so soon to enter eternity, The com demned men were strangely calm. | Weston | threw his bead about, spoke a few words in an indifferent manner and bade one or two near him as careless @ goodby as one would use to a chance acquaintance. He turned twice to expectorate, and just | betore the black cap was drawn over his features he Spat outthe tobaccoin his mouth. ‘Yes, I’m all right,” was his brief response to an inquiry of the | Deputy Sheriff, who with trembling fingers was adjust- | ing the nooses tothe pendent cords. Thompson at that moment was quite weak, and trembled visibly, He | uttered no words, being unable to do more than stand | and wait for the last moment of life. Ellis was still | calm and collected, though his eyes moved nervously | ag the cord around his neck was snapped to the pendent | rope above his head. This was all that could be seen, | Jor many of the spectators who had been permitted to | pass through the gate crowded up to the gallows and mingled with the sherifa Suddenly the black caps on | the heads of the three negroes were drawn over their | faces, there was a movement among those nearest the | condemned, and they stood alone. An awful pause of | a few seconds’ duration ensued, there came upon the ear ibe sound of a blow, and as the axe of the ex- ecutioner bebind the screen severed the ropes sustain- | wg the weignts they fell with a terrible thud, and istantly the bodies of the murderers dangled between | earth and heaven, 1t was then precisely a quarter to ten o'clock. A DREADFUL SCENE. The sudden leap into the air madeevery one shrink, | and a few of those who were before so anxious to see the progress of the execution turned away their heads, afraid to Jook upon the death struggles of those three Diack men who bad between them murdered a poor old man in the lonely Lydig’s Woods. Weston being of sien- der build and so nonchalent in his actions, died the adjustment of the noose and had just raised the cruci- fix to his muiiied lips as the weight fell, Boing so pas- | sive, he etruggied very littie, and, although his neck was unbroken, he did not appear to suffer any pain, Thomp- son also died comparativeiy easy, but, being very mus- cular in the neck, his struggles were more prolonged. Ellis, however, met a dreadful death. Just as the weights fell he was noticed to quickly raise his leit hand and clutch the knot, and he also moved his head | 10 the left with a sudden jerk. These two movements cansed the knot to slip under his chin, and as his bouy sprang involuntarily in tho air he dangled in awful torture, for consciousness continued. He thus re- mained for perhaps half a minute, presenting a most horrible spectacle to the shaddering spectators. Then thero was ao struggle. One of his hands rose | and fell in spasmodic emotion as if to seize the rope, and next the unfortunate creature swun; round until bis feet touched the boar screen. As they did so Ellis began actually to walk up close, there was quite an interesting discussion between the colored brethren with regard to paying the ex- | penses of Ellis’ funeral, the various cheerful items of coffin, grave-digging, hearse, &¢., being discussed with Quite childlike simplicity right before the condemned man, Yesterday morning at eight o'clock no conela- | ion had been arrived at, | OUTSIDE THE PRISON. Almost at the hour of daybreak curious knots of fdiers gathered near the entrance of the prison on Franklin street. None of these people had any hope of | Deing able to see the execution ali knew was to take place inside the gloomy walls of the Tombs, yet they Jingored and carefully watched tho door through which ‘were to enter the Sherif! and bis posse. The day broke clear, with only a few specks of fleocy | clouds inthe sky. Ag the sun rose above the houso | tope the early mist disappeared, though the air was raw and cold, By and by squads of policemen began to appear, and as they arrived @ cordon of officers was thrown around the ‘entire square occujned by the prison. Near the Sixth ward station house & strong force of police was massed and remained p’ sively awaiting further orders. The cars moved mer- rily to and fro; truckmen drove their vetiicles through | the streets, only intent om the labors of the day. In one corner a group of boys played marbles, and a hand- | organ pealed forth a popular tune, The note of prepa- | ration for the execution and the scenes of everyday info afforded avivid contrast, The men in blue aniform were there to maintain peace aud order while the men demned to die were compelled to pay the penalty of ir crime | Soon there appeared a new element in the scene, | Men came trom ail sites carrying in their banda envel- s marked in mourning, aud as they reached the en- | jing line of police each was at once permitted to These were the spectators, and it at go many men were anxious to s so soon to be enacted, As these legal toward the prison door they were placed the legal traged witnesses cau am lines to await the signal for entrance | At hall-past eight o'clock Sherif Conner arrived with his deputies, led by Under Sheri? Cuming As they moved silently through Centre street a large crowd fol- Jowed, only to be stopped af Leonard street by the | police. As the Sherif's entered the prison they were followed by the reserve police force, and the door was closed behind them. Then ensued thirty minutes of waiting. Already it was evident that the police ar- rangements were confused, for the authorized specta- tors wero silowed to push forward until they were wedged together tr s solid mass, so that when the wignal toenter way given none of those nearest tho door could move. / The police shouted and swore, and | many ® man was bustied back without ceremony, only to be pushed forward again by the surging crowd be- bind. Finally order was reswred and the bearers of tickets began to pase inside. IN THE YARD, On entering the prison yard the spectators found the police i jon of the rear courtyard, w gallows stood. By the tim persons: entered they had so wedged themeelves together that when they once began to move forward the police guard was powerless to check them. Fortunately the little bit of that bad been selected for the gallows to im was screened off by @ stout wooden fence, Had it not been for | connected with the execution as blameworthy, the screen, using bis head as a lever, thus relieving the | strain upon bis neck, and, to the horror of all, he uttered @ terrible moan, and cried ont in anguished ac- cents, ‘Save me! Save me!” As the words were ut- tered bis feet fell, only to rise again and encircle the struggling body of Thompson. clambered up upon bis fellow convict, his ' hand clutching the cord, The scene was a most dreadful one, and for a moment no one seemed to know how to act. Just at this juncture Under Sherif | Cuming passed through the exccutioner’s door to order Ellis to be lowered, but as he disappeared the half- hanged wretch struck the fatal knot with his hand and caused it to slip to the side of the neck. Iu au instant of time Ellis’ lege fell, and he began to die slowly by strangulation, The unhappy man suffered greatly even then, tor his limbs moved rapidly to aud fro until death relieved him, When the knot became adjusted | the relaxation of the body was so sudden that the handkerchief in the band that had clutched the rope caught in the tightened no6se and remained dang- ling in the air, Thi died the three murderers, ‘THE UNDER SHERIFP'S STATEMENT. While commenting on the dreadful scene which had just transpired Under Sherif! Cuming made the follow- ing statement:— “The poose was properly adjusted. When the freo end was attached to the end of the rope it was found to be ail right and in proper position, Deputy Sheriff Maxwell was assigned to this duty. I made thé attach- ments in the cases of the othertwomen. Just at the moment the signal was given Ellis turned his head. Whether he did it intentionally, of course I do not know, but it was @ quick movement The black cap wa | was over his face and he could not sea 1 jearned alter the execution what, iff had suspected before, | would certainly bave prevented. At bis special request some cream Was given to him just before he wus led out, with which be greased bis neck. It was given to nim probably with the idea that it would aid the tightening of the noose and so hasten his death. The effect was, however, to allow the noose to slip around when be turned his head, which was the occasion of the miatiap. I do not consider myself or any person immediately I su posed that he would have to be lowered again after te got hold of the rope with bis hand, and stepped behind the board partition to give the order, but before it could be done bis own struggles had adjusted the noose.” INCIDENTS. While the spectators were waiting for the appearance of the condemned men half a dozeu snow white pigeons | flew happily about the eaves of the prison, and one descended for a moment to the cross beam of the gab lows, where it fluttered as if about to alight The beauty of the bird and its snowy plumage auracted every eye, for it seemed to be the embodiment of peace in the presence of death. Posing in mid air the pigeon | moyed its wings gracefully and thon soared into the | open sunlight far above the granite walls that held so much misery and crime. The incident made a pro- | found impression upon all who witnessed it. | As® usual on such occasions, several small looking glastes began to appear in the windows ol the cells | overlooking the gallows, and us they were turned | about in outstretched hands the morbid curiosity of the buman mind was made painfully manifest. One of these mirrors remained in siglit until after the | bodies of the murderers were lowered, and {in it could | be distinctly seen a miniature representation of the | scene below. The dread{al death of Ellie caused many a cheek to blanch, and several of thoso near the gallows were compelled to leave ite precincta Sheriff Conner, being unaccustomed to bis painful duty, was quite over- — by the last scene and retired as soon as pos- THR ERD OF ALL. The three bodies having hung nearly forty-five min- utes that of Ellis was lowered a few inches in order that the attending eae ond might examine the con- dition of the pu Then followed the bodies of Thompson and Weston, in the order named. The phy- sicians bag soe subsequently that Weston died in ds minutes, Thompson in seven minutes, while the death ands balf, A few | ery man, | had been erected, every neck was stretched and every | @ hardened indiffereace to the dreadful fate his crime | times almost tottered on the rough Belgian pavement, upon which he kept his eyes dred suffering himself to be quictly led to death. Both Weston and Thompson | that the man was resigned to die for the law, and hise easiest of the three. He had quietly submitted to the | As if by instinct, Eilis | | Davis, of the Attorney street Methodist church, minutes after the medical report all of the bod! released from the ropes and Rareied through coed cutioner’s wicket, to be placed im the cot ahdy prepared, Mass was said for the dead in the pon chapel by Fathers Duranquet and Barry. Puneraer- i vices were also held over the body of Ellis imho chapel at the Five Points Mission, at which his deved sister Caroline assisted. | MISTORY OF THE CRIME. On the morning of the 1%h of September the st- | depts of the village of West Farms and vicinity ‘re startled by the announcement that George Saxonn | old negro, living on the outskirts of Lydig’s Woodad discovered the mutilated body of a man concealein the underbrush. The story told by Saxon was thatc- cording to bis usual custom, he had gone out to gaer wood to light the fre, and bis search brought hino the spot where he found the mutilated body. He ,w what he thought to be a bit of wood ana wt to pick it up, when, to his found the object to be the uplifted hd of a man. In clearing away the leaves and déis with which the body was partly covered he same man had been murdered, his head and face beingr- | ribly cut, Near the remains there stood, as. pn guard, a small biack-and-tan dog, which fled wn Saxon approached. The horrified old negro wt | straightway to the house and told his daughterand a- | in-law of what he had seen, The listeners were atrst | loth to believe what the old man said, but after bak- fast the son-in-law went to the spot and verified thold man’s story. The police were informed and the cpse | was brought to the station house and officers serout | to gather any clews that could be obtsed. thorough search of the spot wherethe murdered man had been found proved that the mcr | id not occur there, as not a shrub was dispbed ‘That the murdered man had died an easy death winot to be entertained, for the condition of attitude of the hands and legs noticeable proved conclusively that a desperate rug- | gle bad been made with the assassins. After a dijent search in the immediate neighborhood the offers | found acollar, and asbort distance trom the colr it | was noticed the ground bad been tramplednd | very emphatic footprints were to be seen. Itwas | plain that the victim had been murdered here ancar- ried into the woods, where Saxon had found im. | Later in the search ler’s basket was found,ith | its contents dishev: and contused, as though ney had been rummaged in search of something. Bbdy finger-marks on some of the table-cloths, which ere part of the contents of the basket, pointed to the ur- | derers asthe riflers of the basket. A pedler’s ack + was also found, but nothing which would in anway bag the detection of the perpetrators of the bbdy eed. ‘An inquest was held on the body in the man- time, and no evidence being forthcoming the bodyvas removed to the Morgue in New York, where itvas | identified as that of Abraham Weisberg, of Nois85 | Rivington street, who had left bis house about wo weeks before, and gone into the country to petle Those who knew of his going and were shown.he pack and basket say that he mast have sold halt ohis wares. THE FIRST ARRESTS. On the morning of the 21st of September Deteeve | McGowan, ofthe Nineteenth precinct, went to theil- | lage of Westchester to search for the murderers, hv- mg learned in the meantime that a party of three.e- groes had been seen conversing with a Jewish paer in @ beer saloon about balfa mile trom the spot whre | the body was found. Ata place called Fox's Corurs, in the village named, the detective met two suspicus | looking negroes, whom he accosted, ‘the men said | had:come from New York on the previous day to for work. The detective noticed that they bad ay | seed in the mats of their wool, and bag | unsatisfied with the account | themselves he brought them to the Tremnt station house. On examination here the men descried themselves as respectively Bill Thompson, aged twey- seven, a sailor, and William Kilis, aged twenty-tw, a ship's cook. They both claimed residence at No42 | Baxter street. Ai search was made of the persons of the prisoners, wich was lifted for their passage. A few seconds more and | resulted in the finding of a pocketbook on each.’ Tkse | Mr. pocketbooks were in every respect the same as tbse | found in the pedier’s pack, In Thompson’s pockt a | spool of cotton was found, and on this evidence he | men were committed. Notwithstanding that tey stoutly protested their innocence the police we: | vinced of the guilt of the prisoners, and on the 24th ofhe | month, three days after the arrest of Ellis and Thoip- | son, Captain McDonnell, of the Eighth precinct, arreted | a white-eyed negro named Weston, at No. 16 Grad street, Weston was found in the attic of that namer | with his face hidden trom view. | protested his innocence, Weston, on the day sc- | ceeding his arrest, made a confeseion, in which be .o- knowledged that he bad been present at the murdeof the pedler, but sought to throw all the onus of ae | crime on Thompson and Ellis, Captain McDonell | had not been idie during the day intervening betwen the arrest and the examination, and had succeedecin arresting Catherine Guzen, the white mistress of Weston, whose testimony was very damaging to ier paramour. This is the woman to whom Weston ws married in the Tombs on December 2, with Dolanas groomsman. In his confession ‘Weston sid that Thompson, Ellis and himself had wet the Jew in a saloon, ana tnat they hd followed him out, and that when he bad gone ashet way up the road Thompson and Ellis attacked hm with clubs, and after clubbing him to insensibility nd thrown him over the fence and dragged him into te | wood, He claimed that he told them he would hae nothing to do with the deed, and they then swore & him. He said that the pedier, after @ short time, re covered conseiousness, and, raising himself ap, said “Do you want to murder me?” This sign of life mad: Thompson angry, and raising a large stone, he huriec | | stat the prostrate man, who then began to hallo, | Ellis asked Thompson for a knife, and said he wonld cut his (the pedier’s) throat; and he did. This Wad | Weston’s story; bat, as was proved afterward, he as- | susted. BEFORE THE MURDER. A Herap reporter learned yesterday that Eils, Weston and Thompson were connected with a bandof wandering negro minstrels who journeyed through he suburban parts of the State, A wealthy banker, wnvse | business office is in Broad street, told tbe followng | story to the writer yesterda: | “Inthe summer. a little over a year ago, my sm, | Whose business office 18 at Carmansville, came to ny home at Inwood one evening and said he had arrangd for @ little amusement; that a band of wandering negroes, who sang and played very well on differmt instruments, were engaged by hin to go an entertainment at my house. We hurrielly gent out invitations to our immediate neighbors, ind when the band began to play our parlors were qite full. Indeed, so well did they entertain us that it was after eleven o'clock belore our guests dispersed, ind then it was discovered that it was too late for the jer- formers to get buck to town, and out of the goodness of my son's heart he suggested WE SHOULD KREF THEM ALL NIGHT. They were marshalled into the dining room aad given refreshments, our silver lying upon the buffet; afer- ward they were put into the billiard room to pass the night, some old quilts and blankets being given them to insure their comfort, Had I known the character of some of the sable minstrels I should not have slept so soundiy, However, in the morning they went away, and we missed nothing from the house. Since the conviction of Ellis, | Weston and Thomoson, Deputy Sheriff Cunningham, who lives at Carmansville, was sent for to the Tombs to take his turn in guarding the prisoners. The following conversation took place between the convict negro Weston and Cunningham :— “Wstox—Don’t you live up to Carmansyille ? “The Devury—Yes. “Wxstox—Does you know Mr. Jim — ? “The Derory—Yes; how is it you know anything about him ? “Waetow (chuckling)—O, he’s a fine gen’leman; wo was took up to his father’s house when we was wid de minstrels; dey kep us all night and treated us fust rate When this conversation was reported to me I took occasion to repeat it to a well known lwyer, who now occupies the Chittenden estate, at Fort Washington, and he narrated the following incident to me as having occurred about the time of tho pedier’s murder, which seems to tix upon his bouse as ‘the large house” named in the murderer's confeesion, where the negroes stopped on their way the very day of the murder, no doubt for purposes of robbery. His servant girl was cleaning the windows early in the morning, betore the family were up; these windows extended down to the level of the piazza; SUDDENLY, LIER APPARITIO: three men, evidently negro tramps, appeared her, causing her to start back from her work. ‘Wnat do you want?’ she demanded. ‘We want something to eat,’ was the reply. ‘We want money or work,’ said another. The affrighted girl calied out ‘Cook! cook |’ to the servant down stairs; but luckily just at this time two large mastiff belonging to sbe place came bounding across the lawn, and the girl, who had by this time regained her presence of mind, cried out, ‘Look out for the dogs; they will war you to pieces,’ and hie warning the Vagrant negroes inade olf. The girl is convinced the men were the same as those who esterday yielded up their lives to the law, and doubt jess it Was not long alterward they met’ the pedier Weisberg, who came to his death at their hands.” SERVICES OVER THE DEAD. At forty five minutes past ten o'clock the hearse containing the body of Ellis left the yard of the Tombs, and proceeded to Caivary chapel, at the House of In- dustry, in Five Points, where funeral gervicos were held.” A few minutes later a hearse, containing the bodies of Weston and Thompson, passed out, and was driven at a rapid pace to Calvary Cemetery, whore the culprits were buried, the usual service being held in the Cemetery chapel, fhe expenses of the funeral services over and burial of these two bodies were deirayed by Father Duranquet from hie private purse, Rev, John P, Decker, pastor of Calvary chapel and chaplain of the Tombs Prison, conducted the services over the body of Ellis. He was assisted by Rev, T. A. Mr. Davis preached the sermon. The church was weil filled with both white and colored people. After prayer by the Rey. Mr. Decker and singing by the enure assem- biage, Mr. Davis began hie discourse. He alluded in feeling terms to the feartul death the unfortunate cul- prits had suffered, and said that although they suffered the just penalty of their crimes it was grand to think shat they nad all repented and were now with their Saviour, In heaven there surely was executive clemency, and the eforo Lord would welcome the greatest sinner if he but come | with @repentant heart, The speaker here read the confession of Ellis, made to him a few days ago, Itis as follows :— “My name is William Ellis, Carolina and am twenty-two years of age. My master wae not a Christian. Jef the South in 1867 and went to sea in the United States Navy, and was employed in the navy about three years.’ 1 arrived York in May, 1872 I was converted in the Colored Union Methodist church on the Thanks- giving Day of 1874 and was then endeavoring to serve God. I } nting od Acquainted = with Weston about one week before the murder of the ped- ler, He jaid the plot and for fos. and myself were drawn into the dreadful deed struck the first blow and Thompeon broke his bead with the stone, Weston dircting and urging us, declaring ‘Don’t let him holler; dead men tell no tales,’ As soon as the spirit left the Jwas born in South horror, 1¢ | the bod)the | and other condons | they gave of | r the preliminary examinatic a | Though at Grete | in New | ave given 1s OS eat departed sprit I am young and would like to live, but my crime is awful | and I pray God that all young people will shun ‘ak company and learn from my example never to follow the advice of wicked men. God, for Christ’s sake, I humbly trust, has pardoned my great sin, and I for. ive Weston and all who have done mo wrong. thank all who have been kind to me, 1 rest so com fortable that when | fold my arms to sleep at night I | seem just as if I] was ready to go, It seems seo crown all ready in the hands of the angels. I often ve spiritual travails, but the noise confuses me alittle, You kuow that persons in my state want quietude, Blot | out my sins, Lord, that they may not arise against me in death, and let all poor stuners hover under Thy wing. 1 feel satistied that I shail rest at death with Him. Come all ye that love the Lord.” | The reading of the above was listened to by the audi- ence with marked attention, At the conclusion of the services all present filed past the coffin and took a last | look at the remains, Ellis’ sister was present in com- ny with a colored girl named Mary Johnston, to whom Biz wes engaged to be married. Both were greatly affected and gave vent to their foelings In loud watls, The remains were conveyed to Greenwood for inter- ment | Lily, conselence, and if} had owned New York I would | | b DOLAN’S STAY—JUDGE DONOHUE FORTIFYING HIS POSITION IN THE MATYTER—WHY DIS- TRICT ATTORNEY PHELPS WAS NOT NOTIFIED, OF THE APPLICATION—MUTUAL SATISFACTORY EXPLANATIONS. Judge Donohue has taken a decided stand in granting writ of error and stay of proceedings in the case of Jobn Dolan, convicted of the murder of James H. Noe, and bis action in that matter bas caused a great deal ofcomment, Dolan was to have been hanged yester- day atthe Tombs. The most energetic efforts bi been made in his behalf, and happily for himself the | fourth gibbet erected in the prison yard was not used, | the three dark murderers of the Jew pedier having met their fate alone. RPXLANATION BY JUDGE DONOBUB. Judge Donobue contends that the statute under which Dolan was convicted is a new one and that it should be passed upon by the Court of Appeals. Its terms, he | Mhought, were ambiguous, and left the question open | asto what the Legislature meant, The same section of | the statute made the unintentional killing of another ' by a person engaged in a felony murder in the first de- | gree, while, on the other hand, if the words of the | ptatute were to be construed literally, intentional kill- | ing under similar circumstances was made a less | offence. As an illustration he said that if, for instance, a pickpocket should trip a man whose fail would result in death he might prob- ably be convicted of murder in the first degree; then, again, should the party assailed resist and the robber purposely killed him to obtain his pocketbook, he would be convicted only of murder in the gecond degree, Under all the circumstances it | would be well for the Court of Appeals to pass upon the subject. It was a matter of vital importance. The | question in Dolan’s case was whether he couid be ly | Hanged for his crime. In the case of the negroes thero was decided premeditatio: od it was right that the | highest court in the land should determine what was | the law. The courte ust decide as to what was legal, | The main object in the present instance was to settle | this question, A PRIVATE CONSULTATION. It was evident that there was some hitch in the case | somewhere, Judge Donohue, during the day, sent tor Beach and ex-Judge Curtis, who promptly re- sponded to the summons, Quite a biggie conterence ensued between the three, but !t was held in private, From what could be subsequently learned it had refer- | ence solely to the question of the omission to notify District Attorney Phelps of the application to Judgo Donohue for the stay of proceedings. It was under- stood that the explanation on this point was wholly satisfactory to Judge Donohue, and that upon this ex- planation the conference ended. * RAISING A NICB QUESTION. Preliminary to the above coulerence it sppears that District Attorncy Phelps addressed a letter to Judge Donohue in reference to the writ of error granted in the case of Dolan, asking the Judge to inform him whether any notice ‘of the writ had been served upon the Attorney Geveral, as required by statute, as in case | no such notice had been given the granting of the writ would be illegal, Upon being questioned in regard | to the matter by a HxRatp reporter Mr. Phelps spoke very frankly, ‘The point is this,” he said, “the statute says distinctly that no writ of error in capiial cases shall be allowed. except upon notice duly given to the District Attorney of the county in which the conviction was obtained, or to the Attorney General. Now I have not received = such notice, and I do not believe there was any sucl notice given to the Attorney General. I cannot say whether any evidence was furnished to Judge Donohue that such notice had been given, I believe the stay is binding upon the Sheriff in any case, for it is probably regular in form and is sufficient protection for him in case of there being any trouble about it. He is not obliged to go behind the writ and find out whether all the formalities were complied with.” ‘<What will you do im the premises?” asked the re- rier, “I cannot tell,” Mr. Phelps replied, “got I am placed in possession of all the facts, ” COUNSEL EXPLAIN TO MR. PHELPS. | Shortly atter sending the letter reterred to Mr. Beach | i and ex-Judge Curtis called upon Mr. Phelps. They ad- | mitted that the required notice had not been given and © stated that the failure to send it was due to an over- sight on their part. Mr. Beach took the entire respon- sibility upon bimself and made ample apologies. The explanation and apologies were admitted by Mr. Phelps as perfectly satisfactory, and thus the case stands at present . SOME NEW EVIDENCE. | Between five and six o’clock last Thursday evening a gentleman called on Superintendent Walling, at the Central Office, and stated that he knew a washerwoman | who had washed a bloody shirt one Sunday during the later part of last August, and that he (the intormant) believed, from what he had heard, that the shirt belonged to Dolan, the murderer of Mr. Noe. Tho gentleman also stated that if the Superintendent would send an officer to him in the morning he could tell him where to find the woman, An officer was sent, and he succeeded in find- ing the woman, who stated that 4 man came to her on | Sunday during the latter part of August, and requested her W wash @ bloody shirt. The garment was badly torn, and the blood on it had the appearance of being fresh. She thinks she could identify the party if she was placed face to face with bim and had an oppor- tunity of talking with him. Super:tendent Walling states that he has found a man to whom Dolan offered to sell Mr. Noe’s watch on the day of the wnurder. This man knows Dolan well, and says he cannot ve mistaken in the matter. He has already been to the District Attoraey’s oilice and made an affidavit to these facts, THE LAW'S JUST REVENGE. A HORRIBLE AND UNNATURAL MURDER IN MIS- SOURI—ONE OF THE PERPETRATORS HUNG— THE SENTENCE OF HIS WIFE COMMUTED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT. Hermay, Mo., Dec. 17, 1875. Henry Hallenschied was publicly executed here to- | day for the murder of Christian Alband, which he com- mitted some time ago, Avommutation of Mrs, Hallenschied’s sentence to {mprisonment for life saved the public the horror of | witnessing a double execution. The parting between the aged couple was extremely sorrowful, Hallen- schied walked firmly to the scaffold, and, facing @ yelling crowd of fully 5,000 peoplo, calmly prepared for tho closo of the awful tragedy, He stated that he was guilty, but believed he was forgiven and would go to heaven. A HORRIBLE SCENE. ‘The drop fell at thirty-six minutes past one and death was instant, He did not atter a sound nor move a limb. A shudder crept over the crowd as the black cap was jerked up, exposing the neck, which was terribly lacer, ated. The blood streamed down over his shirt front and presented a most horrible spectacle. The vody was cut down in three and a half minates, life bomg extinct. ‘THR CRIM AND ITS VICTIM, | Less than two years ago Christian Alband, without money and half starved, knocked at the door of the hum- bie dwelling of Henry Hallenschied, an obscure German farmer, who resided fifteen miles from Herman, county seat of Gasconade county, Missouri. He sought work and food, Both were granted him, and he soon be- came a member of the family. Besides Mr. Hallen- schied and wile there was a daughter, Wilhelmina, As time flew by Christian won the heart of this young girl, and on February 23, 1875, they were married, They remained with the old folks, but the honeymoon had scarcely begun before the ‘old genteman com- menced making trouble in the household. He quar. relied time and trme again with his son-in-law, endea- voring to drive him away. Mother and daughter soon formed against the unfortunate Alband, but he still braved them all. MURDER IN A GARRET, One morning, Juno 16, after a lively wordy combat all around, the’ son-in-law retreated to the garret to escape the scatiing words heaped upon him His father-in-law, beckoning his wife and daughter to fol- low, crept stealthily up the stairs and with a bludgeon beat-out the life of poor Alband. Mra Hallenscheid caught her son-in-law's hands and held them while her husband performed the hellish deed, the elub | being banded him by the wife of the man | | they were murdering. Their devilish work completed, the victim was pitched headforemost out of the window, fourteen feet from the groun The trio | went below, siripped the dead man of hisclothing, | bundled his body into a wheelbarrow and wheeled it to aguily about 150 yards away, where it was thrown in and covered up. Ouly a slight portion of dirt was thrown over the remains of the murdered man, and some brush was piled on top. Here all that was left of Alband Iny for eight days, when it was discovered by veighbors, who, suspecting the deed, were IN SEARCH OF THR BODY. It presented a most horrible and sickening appear ance. Every particle of clothing bad been removed but the ahirt. the face was bruised into an anrecogniza- ble mass of blood aod bruised fest; the skull ae horvor of she speatamen, sno 9gey mas sore ond Belt 7 devoured b} sor hogs. It was aa ‘cas task to trace the foot track: other marks on the ground back to the house. jzens followed the trail, and underneath th: ‘and down the side of the building found blood and hair, showing how the dead man bad been thrown from the Toom. Going inside, and ascending to the room where the horrible murder was perpetrated, the walls were discovered stained with blood, and great pools standing about the floor. Such a human slaughter and blood- thirsty, fendish murder was never more deliberately planned and brutally carried out than this, A TRIPLE CONVESSION, Consternation seized the perpetrators, and they would have fled had the law not put its strong arm upon them. They all arrested and thrown tnto jail, Hoping for satety, they confessed their crime; ‘told how the mother held her gon-in.law’s hands, while his father-in-law struck him with the club; how he begged for his life until his voico was forever bushed. ‘They told an awful tale of horror, apparently not realiz- ing how terribie was their crime, ‘The daughter was tried and sentenced to ten years in the Penitentiary, Consumption took her away before her cell had known her a month. Mr. and Mrs. Hallenschied were given a fair trial and sentenced to expiate their crime upon the gallow: ‘The old man was past fifty-two years of age, and, like his wife, who was ten years his senior, was {gnorant and seemingly never realized what he had dons, EXECUTION IN GEORGIA. NICK THOMPSON HUNG FOR THE MURDEB OF CAPTAIN HUNTER. Savannan, Ga, Dec. 17, 1875. Nick Thompson, the negro who killed Captain James H. Hunter, at Quitman, in October, 1874, was hung at that place this morning. Governor Smith refused to respite him, THE MURDERED JEWESS. THE MESHES OF EVIDENCE CLOSING ABOUT PESACH NATHAN RUBENSTEIN—HIS XNIFE IDENTIFIED. It was conceded upon all sides yesterday that the fet- ters of fate were fast tightening about the wretched pedier of gilt jewelry, Pesach Nathan Rubenstein, who now lies in the marderers’ corridor of the Raymond Street Jail, charged with the assassination of his cousin, Sara Alexander, the young Polish Jewess, Yesterday the problem as to where the knife came from and to whose hands it passed was solved The manufacturer of the cigar knife has been found and he identifies i, The daughter of the maker remembers having sold it to the man who is accbsed of the murder, and she is positive of the correctness of her identifica- tion, THE LINK POUND. Detective Zundt made the following statement to a HERALD reporter yesterday concerning their method of finding the only wanting link im the chain of evidence— who owned the bloody knife. The officer named, who has rendered invaluable service in the management of the caso by reason of his knowledge of the German and Polish languages, said:—“I left here in company with Detective Butts, acting under instructions from Super- Intendent Campbell, on Thursday morning, to search all places in the two cities where knives are sold and cutlery manufactured, Wo went to New York, taking the knife with which the murder had been com- mitted, We travelled about all day from one cutlery store to another, visiting im all about 100 shops, but all to no avail. Late in the evening we came across a dealer, and on showing him the weapon he closely examined it and then informed us that there was only one man In all the city who made knives like tho one we showed him That man, he said, was Gustave Simon, Tho knifo is used by cigar makers and has three rivets in the handle, whereas other makers use but two, We then sought the little cutlery shop of Gustave Simon, No. 138 Division street. Standing at the doorway, several feet from Simon, I asked him if he had ever seen that knife, holding it up. He at once recognized it as being of his own make. He first thought tt might have been stolen out of bis store, as he would not be likely to sell such an article, its handle being unfinished. That he bad manufactured the identica! knife he was positive. He thought it might have been gone out of his store for two weeks past. We took him over to Brooklyn, where he had an interview with the Saperintendent. On returning to his home Mr. Simon suddenly remem- bered that his ttle daughter, Augusta, aged thirteen ears, had of late a waited upon customers. ¢ accordingly interrogated her upon the subject. she told her father that about half-past four o’clock on Monday afternoon, December 6, a Jew called at the tore and she waited on him. He asked to be shown some cigar knives. She showed him somo which were finished. The customer, however, got his economical eye upon AN UNPINISHED KXIFE, and be asked for it. ‘That is not finished,’ said the little saleswoman; ‘you don't want that.’ ‘Vell, I take ’em; he sheeper than de oders, How mooch je ask? enty cents,’ was the reply, and the bar- ‘in was closed, The Jew then left the store, Early his morning we were sent for by Mr. Simon, and his daughter accompanied us to Brooklyn. She clear- headed, bright girl, and gave usa description corre- sponding exactly with Pesach Nathan Rubenstein, THR RECOGNITION. took Augusta to the Washington street sta- where Louis Rubenstein is confined. He ‘was brought out to the Captain’s room, where she was in waiting. The child at once said that that was uot the man who purchased the kuife, From there we went agai | although her wounds are believed to be Tata | to the Raymond Street Jail, where we took a seat in | the office. In a few moments the prisoner Pesach Rubenstein was brought in. As he crossed the threshold the little girl looked at us and nodded as- sentingly, as though recognizing him, He was placed on a chair in front of her and she steadily gazed on him for half a minute, and then said ‘Yes, that is the man to whom | sold the knife.’ Rubenstein all the time he was in the room averted bis face and kept looking up at the ceiling.” | ‘Simon is not a Jew, but is a German Christian. DEMBANOR OF THE ACOUSKD. | Pesach Rubenstein does not bear up well under ad- | versity. Despondency would seem to have claimed him for its own. Ho has been feigning sickness since his incarceration. Dr. Shepard administered salts to him, which the pedier did not take kindly to, He was very anxious to ascertain how long atime a person had to be sick in the jail before they would remove him to the hospital. ie has from time to time spat | blood since bis arrest. He eats bat little, and walks | constantly to and {ro in his narrow cell,’ A couple of | prisoners at the Jail state that be confessed to them that he knew Sara Alexander was soon to become a mother and that he was the father of the child. He yesterday sent the following letter :— Most Worry Buotiuns avo Buotaesssx-Law, Jon SSRN :— | q Qian Buormxns—Don’t forget the love of your brother, and that a brother is born lor trouble and distress, | To-day Alexander, of Fulton street, sends to me, and also Mr. Mott, from No. 15 Centre street. They want to know if I want to depend on them; if so, they will come instead of Talmage. I depend upon’ my religion, even if there are walls over me. If you do not intend to take Judge Car- first try to get Lawyer Bogan to come to mi do anything except what I write to you. Let me know who will come to me. Your brother, whuse life hangs on one | hair, and who writes with bitter tears and @ broken beart, ope, in the name of the God ot Israel, that you seo to | this and will not tarry, but that the lawyers may come im- mediately ; and their pay is from my money. PESACH N. RUBENSTEIN. It was written in Hebrew, but was opened and trans- lated belore being sent to its destination, Counsel for the accused visited the jail yesterday and obtained a check from Israel Rubenstein, the father of the accused, who is said to be worth several thousand dollars. He owns the house in which the family live, | No, 83 Bayard street. | SARA ALRXANDER’S PUNRRAL A permit was given by the Coroner yesterday toa James street undertaker to inter the body of the mur+ | dered girl in the Hebrew cemetery, near Cypress Hills, | East New York. Tho certiticate of burial set forth that she was a native of Russia and nineteen years of aye; it was for Sara Alexander and her female child. The brother anda sister of deceased, Pesach and Zetta, accompanied by three other people, visited the Morgue and followed the remains to their last resting place. | _ ‘The jury empanelled by Coroner Sims are John Rop- | ley, Dr. Noeber, M Welsh, Thomas Ray, Oliver | Bond, Jr.; Joseph Lach, Johh McDowell, Gustavus Seidenberg. The inquest will be commenced on Mon- | day atternoon, ut one o'clock. | oF THE STAINED CLOTHING Dr. Kissam has applied all the chemreal tests known | to the stains on the coat of the prisoner Rubenstein, and last night he said ho was satisfied thas they are not blood. The value of this testimony does not, how- ever, affect the question of the priso’ guilt, which the police believe has been clearly established by the evicence already mentioned, | THE CUNNINGHAM STABBING CASE. | Patrick Shanahan, who is charged with stabbing Alice | Cunningham at Bayonne, New Jersey, was brought up for examination before Justice Keese at Jersey City | yesterday. When informed of the serious charge against him he inquired if any person had signed the | affidavit? He refused to give a satisfactory reply to any question put to him, and conducted himself in a very insolent manner, His replies were mingled with defiance and ribaldry, Finally he was remanded to jail to await the result of Miss Cunningham’s injuries’ She has hitherto refused to prefer any cha st him, A WOULD-BE ASSASSIN CAPTURED. Frederick Smith, the ox-car conductor, who attempted to shoot the reporter of a Jersey City paper at Union Hill, N. J., eluded the officers of the law for several days, but was caught yesterday and taken before Justice Farrier, who committed him in default of $2,000 bail vo the county jail for trial, DEATH OF A CENTENARIAN, It was reported at the Burean of Vital Statistics yes. terday that Jalia McCarthy, a nal of Ireland, aged 100 years, had died at her residence, No, 75 Mott street, from an attack of asthma she will be interred w body of the nedier I felt that momen, the horror of @ ) crushed in aud broken 1» several vlaces, and. wo add to | Calvary Cometery, THE POSTAL SERVICE. —+—___ LETTER FROM SUPERINTENDENT BANGS TO THD POSTMASTER GENERAL-—THB POLICY OF CHEAP MAIL BATES—ARGUMENTS AGAINST FURTHER REDUCTION EXCEPT ON NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES, The following extracts are made from a letter of Mr. George 8. Bangs, Superintendent of the Railway Postal Service, to the Postmaster General, giving the views ot the former on the policy of the Postal Service:— Sin—Herewith you will find a tabular statement, showing the facts as to cost, revenue, comparative profit and loss, &c., of carrying the different classes of {nail matter through the United States mails for the fiscal year ended June 80, 1874:— COST AND BEVENUB EERE PELLET Ee Pee Bbggacibieisgiteg: tee: OF Ce He Hs Pe PSE See: 0! & 28 ff ag i FE 5: 3: z Bs: BF H 8: E eS £ A 228 Pee é fi Bes: 9: Pi ee: 2: B e008 : gf s ali #2 Bo.F on Fen Bae = IP 1188) 38883 52 a 58 ‘eoe's 46 0F¢'006'LS ces‘est'se ‘610°66e'SoL “EDD puovegy g, 8 ee x BoI-21 Bes E aes z 5 B & & Bt cp bow EEE shige fete Ese ese 8 Be The mode in which this table has been prepared Vad scribed in the accompanying note) assures its sul \- tial accuracy and fully justifies Fy, fair reasoning which may be based upon it. That it may be clearly understood by those who desire full tnformation on the subject, it may be well to state that the three classes ‘of mail matter may be briefly described as follows:— First Class.—Written correspondence; practically, letters and postal cards. Sceond Class.—Printed matter regularly sent out at stated periods from known offices of publication; prac- tically, newspapers, magazines and reviews mailed to ‘ular subscribers. "hird Class.—Miscellaneous printed matter and other articles declared mailable by law; practically, pamph- lets, occasional publications, transient newspapers and pe arate handbills, posters, unsealed circulars, pros- pectuses, ks, manuscripts for publication, proof Bho ks, pate Tevises, maps, prints, engravings, bla resiy samples of aotthartion cards, envelopes, pho- tographs, her cuttings, bulbs, roots, scions, &c., &., ail obscone publications being excluded. ia * * * CHEAP POSTAGE. Asitis the government loses annually a large sum of money in the transportation of the mails. This loss, the system being wisely and economically managed, the people cheerfully pay as an indirect tax, in cousidera- tion ofthe great benefit done to public and private in- telligence by the mails, and to trade and commerce through the spread of that intelligence, If I am cor- rect in this idea of the legitimate province of @ postal system it is cloar that the true problem for Congres: to solve in amending the act to which reference has been made is this:—To cheapen postage for the whole ple by such an amendment to the act as shall not so cettodet ‘tHe cost of the postal service in the transpor- tation of articles in which comparatively few are inter- ested as to nullify the prcncere lower postages. If this can be done the act will ve universally acknowledged as one of wisdom and propriety. If, on the bewney A postages on mail matter almost universally used by people be reduced, as think they ought to be, and the same time postages be also reduced on articles which were not originally mailable matter, which are carried by favor and grace rather than by’ natural fit- ness, and in which only afew are interested, in that case we only benefit the few at the nse of the many, and remove a light direct tax to pus in its placeaheavy indirect one. I think the problem can be solved in favor of cheaper postage without this additional indirect tax, * * PRACTICAL SOLUTION OF THR PROBLEM. While 1 am opposed, therefore, as I have said, to the exclusion {rom mails of any matter now mailable, I believe the practical solution of the problem which is: at this time presented for solution lies in a plain and simple amendment to the law ag it stands, That amendment would be as follows:— Let the law remain precisely as {t is, except to ex- clude from the operation of the act of Congress increas- ing rates on third class matter all transient newspapers aud magazines, unsealed circulars and prospectuses, and expressly fix the rates of these as they were before the increase. ‘This is a very simple proposition, and needs little ar- | inmchcoarpes The things upon which postages are ere proposed to be reduced are among those which all men will bg 0g as natural matiable matter. Let the mails carry them cheaply, at a loss if need be. The general tax thereby is legitimate, and will heerfully paid by hed egret Jarge; but it is unjust, unphilo- sophical and unfair to make the general public pay a tax in support of the vate business of indi- uals and companies, and in this must be placed all the other mailable articles raced in class 3. There will be little or no dispute as to the truth of this statement, except, perhaps, as to books. It will be claimed that books, being notable means for the dissemination of intelligence, ought especially to be designated as mailable matter , ‘There 18 more apparent than real force in this state. ment, as applied to the mails. The value of very man: books as medium of intelligence is cheerfully admitt: But an exceedingly smail proportion of all the books published goes through the mails. Nearly all books are bought at the counters of local booksellers, who who have a handsome discount in their purchases from the publishers, What does {t avail a man in Aina Sd for example, to send to a New York pub- Msher a book which he can get ata Washington bookstore for precisely what it will cost him in York? By sending to New York he simply pays the price of his letter's postage in addition, and runs the risk of the loss of bis remittance, The publisher, however, gets more for the book, even after he has paid the postage on it, than the rice of it to “the trade,” Thus the local dealer loses is legitimate business, the buyer pays a little more for the book, and only the public is benefited. This is but an illustration of a general truth, The claim that books ought to bespeciaily privileged by the mails is not made in the interests of tue many, but in that of the few, It is not in the Interest of the great nody of readers of books, It is not in the interests of the great body of booksellers, That {am right in this matter ts shown by the fact that notwithstanding the different changes that have been made in the rate of pos' oD. books, it being sometimes twice as high as at others, and then again the reverse, there has been no change im the advertised price of books sent by mail. Where- fore, notwithstanding my high regard for books, their authors and publishers, as arale, I cannot think their works properly should be placed'as among privileged Fog in the United States mails, However !t may with authors, publishers of books are not primarily governed by a desire to disseminate Intelligence, Their acknowledged motive ts the concentration of profits in their own coffers. Ido not understand that it is the business of our public postal system to aid them in thie private kind of enterprise, 00 matter how commend- able it may ve, * i : . * * * * , now, the postage on transient newspapers, peri- odicals abd other icoms of mail matter beiore men. Woned be reduced to the former rate, leaving the rates of other third class matter as they now are, we shall have an act of gonuine cheap postage, based upon sound business principles and discriminating in favor of the interests of the whole people rather than of the few. The larger number of packagas of transient newspapers, &c., sent ander these reduced rates would, in my opinion, increase the revenue more than the Augniented cost of their transmission would amount to, On the other hand, the transportation in the mails of samples of merchandise, &c., is done at present rates At a loss to the government, and as this matter Is rather irregular toan regular mail matter | think it would be a manifest injustice and @ needless burden upon the who: i people vo reduce the rates, * . T have thus given you my views upon a subject now aturact much atiention with considerable (uiness, and have set forth in detail the facts upon which they are based, because | believe the solution of the problem which I have herein set forth ts the true remedy for the ills which are complained of in this matter, and because | believe furthermore that {f the suggestion I have ventured to make be carried out by act of Congr it will resnit in good to the public and good to postal service, With great respect, Pio obedient E's AN' servant, GEORG: a3, Superintendent Railway Mail Service, The PostMastTek GENERAL A HEINOUS CRIME. The examination in the case of Reuben Van Horn, , who is charged by his daughter, @ child of eleven years with the perpetration of shocking crime, took place ‘esterday before Justice Keese, ‘ourt, at Jersey City, The details were of the most revolting character, The girl, who looked haggard and sickly, is very Intelligent. 0 gave testimony ia ast forward and convincing manner. The alleged occarrence extended over a period of two years, examination will bo resumed to-day. A RECKLESS DRIVER, Bridges Flattery, aged filty years, was knockes | down yesterday by a lager beer wagon, at Thirty-sce@ ond street and Third avenue, and bad a leg brokeiy