The New York Herald Newspaper, November 24, 1878, Page 7

- MAN EATERS AND MISSIONARIES Four Wesleyan Teachers Feasted Upon by New Britain Barbarians. PROMPT PUNISHMENT. From Fifty to Eighty Savages Slain by the Avenging Expedition. OVERAWED AND CONCILIATED ‘ature Safety of ‘raders and Preachers Seoured by Avenging the Crime of the Cannibals eae The telegraph reported some wecks ago that five Wesleyan missionaries had been killed and eaten by the natives of New Zealand. Persons who were ac- quainted with the condition of New Zealand took the liberty to doubt the story; for though they might admit the possibility of a party of hoodlum Maories indulging in # feast of the kind they did not con- ceive it at all probable. The story and the doubts are both confirmed. Four Wesleyan missionaries have been killed and eaten, but by natives of New Britain, not of New Zealand, THE SCENE OF THE CANNIBALISM. The Island of New Britain, where this horrible crime was committed, is situated a short distance tast of New Guinea, and though it is surrounded on three sides by groups of islands, which have long been the field of missionary labors, has only recently been vecupied us a mission station. It is inhabited by savages of a type similar to that of some of the tribes of New Gaineu, and of a low degree of barbarism, It is seldum visited by traders, and, not haying been be- fore occupied by missionaries, was selected in 1876 by the Wesleyans of Australia, partly because it offered an entirely new field, partly on account of its nearness to New Guinea, as one of the points in which, together with the neighboring groups of New Ireland and the Duke of York Islands, they would establish the stations of a new group of missions. It will be necessary to go back some sixty years to explain how the missionaries same to be in New Britain. he islands of the Pa- cific Ocean east and south of New Britain are now the wcenes of important and widely diffused missionary operations. Thousands of Christian commua- nities, large and small, are scattered among their rocks or control ut their ports, and sev- eral of them boast large, flourishing, sclf- sustaining and liberal churches. In the extreme northeast are the Sandwich Islands, now whoily Christian, and between them and New Britain lie the hundreds of small islands of Micronesia, a large proportion of which are ocenpied by the American Board, through agents furnished and for the most part supported by the Hawaiian churches. To the eastward are the Society Islands or Tahiti, now Christian, with Congregational and Roman Catholic churches, and Samoa, whore the London Missionary Society has enrolled large societies ; and nearer, in the foutheast, the Fiji and Tongr or Friendly Islands, which have been the scenes of the grandest triumphs of Wesleyan missionaries, Nearer still are the New Hebrides, which the Presbyterians have occupied, and the Solomon Iglands, where mis- sionaries have worked for several years. ‘To the south are the Australian colonies. These islands, with New Guinea, therefore, were almost the last remaining Points of Polynesia and Australasia where the effort to plant Christianity had not beeu begun. ‘THE CHANGE WROUGHT IN SIXTY YEARS. Sixty yearsago the people of all these talands were regarded as savages and cannibels, and the man who went among them for any purpose literally took his life in his hands. In 1813 Samuel Leigh, a Wesleyan minister, landed in Australia and be- gan to preach, as he had opportunity, to soldiers, penal convicts and natives, and he and his succes- sors continued their efforts without much encourage- Tent for many years, till the honest settlers. began to arrive, when matters assumed a better aspect. A few years later the Wesleyan missionaries found their way to Tonga, also called the Friendly Islands. They found the islanders more susceptible to Christianizing influences than the brutal abo- riginees of Australia, aud aftor a few years of hard labor their missions began to flourish and spread till they overflowed into the Fiji Islands. Seldom have the messengers of peace and civilization had to encounter tribes which seemed to be more untit subjects for Christian- izing and refining influences than the fierce, man- eating Fijians. Even as late as 1853, when the present King (now an exemplary Christian and a volantary vassal of England) was inaugurated, eighteon victims were selected to grace the royal feast and were killed by having their heads dashed against a large stone, “which is still there, telling its sad tale of the past, while Mr. Calvert, the missionary, was speeding to the commercial building in a vain effort to prevent the murder, Mr. William Owen, an Australian mer- chant, however, told the chief that unless the evoked human flesh was given up for burial he would ut once close all business transactions with him. ‘The threat was effectual, and oighty-four cooked parte of men’s bodies were recovered and buried. Mr. Gervase fimith, who visited the spot last May, saw the stone on which the victims’ heads were dashed, looked “until he sickened” into the oven in which hun- Greds, and probably thousands, of bodies, had been baked, traced the outline of the bath in which the bodies were washed before being cooked, and in- pected the tree on which the register of victims was kept, “notched from its root to the highest branches, every mark telling of murder and cannibalism.” ‘The missionaries triumphed, nevertheless, and the result of their persevering efforts is now represented by the Australasian Wesieyan Methodist Church, with five ‘nnual conferences and 57,000 members, of whom nearly thirty thousand sre native Christians of the Viji and Friendly Islands. THE “NEW WESLEYAN MISSION.” ‘These Tongan and Fijian Christians, generally eup- porting their own churches and paying their min- isters, naturally came to feel « desire to do some- thing actively for the missionary enterprise, from which they had derived benefits beyond all price. ‘Their English brethren of Australia and New Zea- land were ready to help them, and, in fact, were glad to co-operate with them, for having just negotiated an indepondence of the English Wesleyan Church, ‘They, too, were desirous of emulating their parent and the other recognized churches in spreading the Go 1. It was arranged that a new mission should be gun under the care of the New South Wales and Queensiand Conference, to which the Tongan Fijian churches were attached, in New Britain the neighboring groups, with a view of ultimately extending the stations to New Guinea. Accordingly the Rey, George Drown, who wus designated as the chief of the mixsion, und was the ouly white mission- ary, sailed in 1875, accompanied by ten native Fijian, Samoan and Tongan ministers and teachers, for the new field of operations. A small group known as the Duke of York Islands was selected as the headquarters of the mission and the seat of the rincipal station, and other stations were cstablished in New Britain sud New Ireland. ‘The new enter- prive had ail the difficulties of making a settlement, Pxamining the ground avd becoming acquainted with the natives, and suffered from the sickness of ite un- fecliinated members, so that it soon became neces- om. to send for reinforcements, and there was no jeulty Other native agents the total foree of the mission is now probably some fifteen or jwenty workers, ¢ missionaries were kindly received by the natives and enjoyed a friendly intereoarss with them, and their work = pros: red so that thirty menibers at the close of 1876 they sixty-four a year afterward, At about the be of this year u quarrel arose among the isl be: tween the crew of a vessel and the natives, in which white was wounded, During tho fighting that en- sued the watives were driven away from their island. In the latter part of January a trading station was burned on New Britain by somo natives, and the sul- fering trader reported that they had threatened to burn the house of Peni, a native teacher, also, as “they did not want ne there who would not give them tobacco and beads.’ House burning seemed to be getting of frequent occurrence at about this time, and Me. own expressed the fear that it would be the usual thing for the natives todo when they got angry with the traders or teachers and wished to in- jure thom or drive them away. Nevertheless, at this very time one of the teachers had been tar uy inland while they reported tarned NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, NUVEMBEK 24, 1878—QUADRUPLE SHEET—WITH SUPPLEMENT. in New Britain and had been very kindly received by them and urged to visit them often and preach to them about the /otv, which seeus to mean goxpel or something of the kind. AN OUTBREAK OF CANNIBALISM, On the 1th of February Mr. Brown heard that there had been Sehting amoung the natives, and a chief named Torogood got tive bodies, which they were going to eat, He determined to prevent the feast and started off for that purpose in company with Mr. Turner, a botanical Salone They reached the village in the midst of beating of the drums, greatly to the surprise of the people, and almost the first thing they suw was the mangled body of a slain hostile chief, tied by the neck to 4 large tree in a standing position, The other bodies were or Torogood and pegying him to the bodies and not allow any or thom to be eaten, Torogood said it was not bis fault; told of the bad acts that the slain chief had committed, and scemed to wish it to be inferred that it was unrea- sonable for one to wish to deprive him of the pleas- ure of eating him. Mr. Brown appealed to the people, and Torogood offered to bury the man if he were paid war damages, Mr, Brown determined to see the affair ont, but in a little while Torogood womised that out of respect to the lotu he would have the man buried. Mr. Brown started for the other village, but a8 he approached it perceived the smell of the other five bodies, which the people had already nearly cooked. Thinking he had accomplished all that it was safe to attempt at the time, he not tollow the matter up turther, THE MUBDER AND HORRID PEAST OP MINSIONANTES, Some time aftey these events Suilasa, one of the native ininisters, told Mr. Brown, ut a quarterly meet- ing, that he had been up inland in New Britain, and had been kindly received by the natives, and that they hed all wished him to go again, ‘He asked for some beads, 4 to give to the chiefs as presents, and Mr. Brown gave them to him, tell- ing him that he, too, was going over soon to New Britaiu, and would also yo inland further up the coust, and hoped to get some tine openings for the lotu, ' At the beginning of April Mr. Brown prepared to take his family tor u change of air to New Britain and spend a week or so on the island. On the ath, when they were all ready to sturt,a native came to the window of his study, w wus sitting at night, and told him that he hud just heard that the New Britain natives had murdered Sailasa and some teachers, The report was contirmed on the next day. An inquiry into the circumstances of the mur- der showed that Sailasa and the traders had agreed to go inland in separate parties of four each, ove under the charge of Sailasa and the other wnder Ratu Livai, another trader. The party under Ratu Livai went for some distance inland, slept at one of the villages and returned the next day, having been in some little dan- yer. The other party (Sailasa’s) started on the same day, and slept at one of the villages on the first yange. ‘Talili, a chief from the north coast, sent up after them, telling the bushmen to kill them, ‘The natives trom’ the town where they slept fol- lowed them on the road and continued calling, as they went along the road, to other natives who were working on their plantations to join them, until they got a large number collected, when they were able to uttack them and overpower them at once. ‘The teach- ers do not seem to have had any suspicions and were taken quite unawares. ‘The eating of all the mur- dered men wus not denied, but was confessed to by sons, and the places were found where the place. ‘Lhe bones of some of the victims ed, broken und charred. SUEPS ‘LO PUNISH THY CANNIBALS, Atter receiving the news Mr. Brown visited Sailasa’s house, where he met the widows of the murdered amen and heard horrible accounts of their death which made the blood boil. He was told also that Talili, the reputed murderer, had come from his own vil- lage und proposed to # chief in the neighborhood to murder the widows and children and burn the house. He aiso discovered that the Samoan and Fijian teuchers had consulted together and were planning an expedition inland that night, and were deterinined to go without telling hima, for fear that he would pre- vent them. Two white men, who were with him in the boat, had also agreed to go with them. Fearing that such an expedition would be a failure, and would probably cause a loss of life, he begged the teachers to trust the matter with him. He was now placed in a critical position, and gives the following as the rea- sons which intluenced this decision :— First—Lhere was first the fact that the teachers themselves were actually preparing to go; that they all said that life was no longer safe in any of the towns, nor was the mission work practicable if these murderers were not punished, Second—The few whites here also assured me that unless something was done their lives also were no longer safe. ‘Uhey volunteered their help and urged immediate action. Talili, who is said to have or- dered the massacre, had previously attempted the life of Mr. Hicks, a trader at Matupit. ‘Ihe cook of the bark Johan Ciwsar also had a yery narrow escape from him, aud very recently he attempted to capture the schooner Franziska, Since the murder also he had scnt some very insulting messages to the whites. Third—My own convictions also were that unless these murders were punished they would soon be followed by others. Being satistied that the murders were not in any way connected with the position of the victims as Christian teachers or prompted by enmity to the lotu, but were committed because the natives wished to eat some foreigners and get their property, he decided to enlist the well-disposed natives with him. He was successful, and secured a considerable party, who, it was arranged, should go as soon a6 wsible and attack the offenders from two sides. Raving prepared to send the women and ehfldren back to the Duke of York Islands, went up to see Bulilalai, a noted chief of the wt of the island where he was. This chief was shy of white men, having a conscience not quite void of offence, but Mr. Brown sent word that he would go to him with only @ native teacher, but with no other white man. ‘I wished,” he says, “to secure his help if ‘ible, but if not, at least to be certain that he would not oppose us. We went some distance inlagd, and, aiter many precautions had been taken by the natives, I was taken to the small house in the bush where the old chief was. sat down by him, told him what [£ had come about, and reminded him that Peni (one of the murdered teachers) was his teacher and under his protection. He told me at once that he loved Peni, that all his people were sorrowing for him, and finished by telling me that he fully intended to eut Talili, the chief who killed him, J iold him that we could not allow any cannibalixm, as it was not our custom to eat men, and that it was very wrong to do so, He looked at me in a way which seemed at once to express surprise at our con- duct and pity for our folly, but declared himself quite ready to help us. PURSUE AND Vi é After eight days of preparat Duke of York Islands the party, cousixting of Mr. Brown, three white men who were at the station, the teachers and a bout from Fort Wesley, with a © crew, sterted for New Britain, ‘Their nunibers were increased the next day and additions were received on the way, and acorps of considerable strength was ready to mareh. ‘the main party took one side of the island, while Mr. Brown, with two other whites and a Sa- moun teacher, went round to the north coast to take charge of the natives there. On their way the smaller party learned that Bulilalai and the ‘other chiefs who had been engaged to co-vperate with them had been tampered with and had not done what they had agroed to do, It was necossury to be cautious. On the beach were five hundred natives, professedly friendly, but unwilling to commit themselves by any positive act. Atter some little parleying these natives were in- duced to join the whitos, “and they started away at once ta pursuit of Lulili, and killed threo of his men that ev ng. We then went back to Talili’s house, und our crews burnt it and destroyed his canoe, after we laid at our anchors close in shore all iting for the Blanche Bay party to owh; but us we heard nothing from left at night, slept at Nodup, came ‘k again next day (Friday) and stayed until Satar- day, Whoa 1 received « note from Mr. Powell, telling "that they had returned to Matupit and were We started at once, and at night were glad indeed to find them n arduous but suc tartel from Matupit (He y after midnight on Wedne ni the mainiand, travelled by th 0 D ponlight, and before dawn were well up rst range, Here they vested and waited for the dawn, All the natives had very strict orcers about cannibalism, or any mu- of the dead, and also against killing any orehildven. There are no large towns here, but every family lives in ite own little enclosure, ‘The houses are not large, and in most instances are imorely small huts, which ean be put up in a day or two. All that were seen were burnt, and about twenty of the murderers were killed. Among the number of killed were two or three women, who were cither killed by the natives, or shot because they could not be distinguished as such at the distance. ‘This I was sorry for, but it could not be helped; and 1 tell it’ you because I wish to teli you all. ‘he “natives themselves, however, have very little compassion on women, aud state that they are worse cannibals than the men, and are always the worst in trging ona fyht and in muti- lating the dead afterward. ‘This Lalso fully believe, t all I have seon and heard. The nat had tlt fe in their inland position, had made no parations for an attack and were tehen by surprise uld make no united resistance. Some of the stones from their slings came with very great force about the heads of some of our party, but no one was bit and the return bullets soon convinced them that they stood no chance against a musket, and they soon cleaved out. All slept in the bush that night, another proof to the bushiven that they were now dealing with a different people to their own coast people, who woald never dream of sleepiug inland ail night. Next morning (Friday) they were carly astir, und after burning some other hamlets further inland and more to the castward they re- tw the beach and burned the town of Keravia, ny wero elourly proved to be implicated in the next day the bones of two of the murdered ‘sé were recovered, and some of the party a h been done; but the town Where the wen were actually killed had as yet escaped, and it was not thought well to let them yo free, and ‘im it was decided to visit it. In the me two towns sent tn a peace offering of payment for their participation in the cannibalistn, After teachin Diwawon, the next place to be attacked, Mr. Brows received & niessage from Keravia asking hit to go up, us they wished to make friends with him again. He went, and atter receiving presents and w damages ‘payment he talked to them about the wn provoked wrong they had committed, telling thera that he was now fighi solf-preservation, He pted their offerii a few little presents in return, and told them that we would make a formal peace according to their own custome ina few days, This pleased them, and that sume evening they actually joined our party when wo burnt the next town of Diwawon, where they had eaten the native minister.” At Diwawon a worn the body of Saiiasa, confessed that they Other bones and effects were recoverel in the neigh- borhood. After this the expedition returned home with not 8 single one of the party wounded, REPARATION AND RECONCILIATION, Mr. Brown returned to the north side the next week, visiting the towns that had sent in shell-money in payment for their cannibalism, and on the 1th of May reached Diwawon, where he found the aptives ome ~ meet nina: Tas they came ut last, i ‘of the chiefs bringing shell-money, as payment and as ao expression of friendship. nie. Brown ce to them very kindly, explained our position fully, and made them well pleased and satisfied of our good will to- ward them by accepting the diwara (sbell-money), aud giving them @ good present in return, We then went on to Keravia, where we found 4 great many people waiting for us, as I had sent several times, telling them that we were coming to make triends with thom again. Among the crowd was one of the chiefs from the town Where Sailasa wnd the teachers were killed, He had sent down diwara and asked to be forgiven, #0 they sent up to him to come down and meet me, Poor fellow, Lam sure he never spent such an anxious hour in his life as he did that day, He was sur rounded by Keravia natives, ostensibly his friends, but he evidently falt that they were no protection to him, Isat down just in front of him, us I wished to gain his contidence and to make him feel that we Teally forgave the past. At first he evidently wished that I would choose a seat a little further away from him, bet afterward he got more at case, though he still watebed every movement. I accepted his present, and those of the other chiefs, end then, in accordance with their custom, I mate them a return present ux a token of good will, Ithen rose and spoke to them all, reviewing our conduct from the commencement of the mission, and re- minded them of our many acts of kindness to them. I then assured them that we fully forgave them, that the past should be all forgotten and that we would be good friends again. They asmented to all I said, ex- pressed sorrow for what was done and begged to have a teacher stationed with them, to which Lagreed,”” A. site for a school house was se rd the next day (Sunday) and a service was beld th Another 11 sage was received from some towns in the bush, sa: ing that they wished “to pay,” as they had taken part in the cannibalism, This was a surprise, ax Uh towns had not been heard of as implicated in the fair. ey des:ribed with horrible particularity the part which had fallen to their share.’ WAS Mt, BROWN'S COURSE THR RIGHT ONE? Had he been a military man or even an ordinar: civilian this question would hardly have been asked. He is, however, a missionary, a messenger of the Gospel of Peace, and must be held to the strictest ac- count and liable to the severest judgment. The reasons which impelled him to this step have been given. Reviewing his own action, he says:—The effect, Larn certain, has ‘been most beneficial, and in this conviction all the foreign residents here concur, I am certain that our mussion here stands better with the natives than it did before, and that we ure in a better position to do them good. They respect us more than they did, and, as they all ac- knowledge the justice of our cause,’ they bear us 10 ill will. Human life is safe here now and will be for many years to come. ‘This lesson will not soon be forgotten by the tribes here. They say, ‘It was rthquake, and nota fight." I can locate teachers o very towns which suffered the most, and they be well received, not because they fear us, but use they feel it to be the best thing for them, We have had several proofs since, both from New Ire- land and other places, that other lives would have been sacrificed if no action had been taken by us. On looking back now, some weeks afterward, and con- sidiring uietly and calmly the past events, I honestly believe that the plan I adopted was the best, and was, in fuct, the only one which could have saved. the mission and many of our lives. It is true that many lives have been lost, probably be- tween fifty and eighty, but the present and future good of thousands will far outbalance that. This has been no unprovoked shooting ot na tives, nor was it anything like an attempt to force a way into their country by force of arms. ‘They mur- dered the teachers while friendly with them and while knowing them to be ‘men of peace.’ Ours was an honorably conducted war in conjunction with the natives themselves, one which was forced upon us to save our own lives and to prevent a recurrence of any such barbaritics.’” Wilfred Powell and Greenville A. Wood, master and mate of the ketch Star of the East; George Turner, botanical collector; William Hicks and H. Blohm, traders, and Charles E, Young and James MeGrath, residents, who participated in the speaten, have given Mr. Brown a card expressing the belicf that but tor his prompt action in the matter the li neither of traders nor missionaries would have b safe in any part of the groups, and approving his course un- reservedly. Mr. McGrath has, in addition, testified personally to the Wesleyan Board of Missions at Sydney to the etfoct that the news of the murder and cannibalism, having spread through the island, had immediately produced an altered and hostile demeanor on the part of the natives toward the mission, and pecenily that on the news reaching the Duke of York Island natives supposed to be tf: ererass, esmie on the mis- sion premises making insolent and menacing demands for property, which had to be pn sina with; that chief of a town in New Ircland, on hearing the news, forcibly dragged away the wife of a teacher stationed there, and would not give her up till he learned of the retribution the missionarics and whites had ex- acted; that Talili attempted to kill the widows and children of the saurdered teachers, axfd wea only pre- venied by some Euro] 8 who werethere; that ho further sent notice to the towns in New Britain where teachers resided that he would make war upon them unless they killed their teachers, and that he sent a threatening message to Mr. Brown that he in- tended to eat him and had his taro ready. The Sydney Advocate reviews the case in all of its particu. lars, and concludes that Mr. Brown's course was the best that could be taken, adding that ‘his action was unprecedented in the history of Wesleyan missions in the Pacific; but so were the circumstances in which he found himself placed.” ACTION OF THE BOARD OF MISKIONS, ‘The Board of Missions of the Australian Wesleyan Chureh on receiving the mews held a meeting on the 1éth of September, at which, after reading Mr, Brown's account of the affair and ae Mr. McGrath, they decided to make provision for the wid- ows aud children of the murdered brethren and convey them to their homes, and expressed their sympathy with the missionaries who risked their lives by con- tinuing to reside among a barbarous people, and par- ticularly with Mr. Brown, “in the very perplexing, painful and dangerous position in which he was Placed; but at the same time deoply regretting “that no other course secmed to him to be open which would insuro the safety of himself and of the large number of persons belonging to the mission ty of whom he was regarded as the protector.”” ‘he Board desires to give the fullest publicity to ull the facts in the case, so that all who are interested in it may have the best assisiance in forming # sound conclasion on the matter, FIRE AT THE CATHEDRAL FAIR. Areport came to Police Headquarters last evening that a slight fire occurred at the Cathedral fair about five o'clock in the afternoon, and that aman had been severely burned about the hands and face in endeavor- ing to extingui#h the flames. A reporter asked the officer ou post at the Fifticth street entrance to the Cathedral what the fire amounted to and whether there was any panic, but the official knew nothing whatover in regard to it. He pointed out a goutieman standing close by, saying, “There is the man who wax burned; he can probably give you all the information you desire.” The man alluded to by the officer was then ques- tioned as to the origin of the fire, but be also replied that he knew nothing of it. “But the officer on post bere says that you were severely burned in trying to extinguish the flames,’ continted the reporter. “That must be a mistake,” he replied, shoving his hands deeper into the pockets of bis ulster, “for it's the first I've heard of it. But the man’s moustache, which was singed nearly off, and his face, which was burned in several places, told a far different story. ‘Lhe reporter visited the Nineteenth precinct station honse on Fifty-first street, and from Sergeant Whit- comb obtained the following information :— ‘The fire originated in the vicinity of the booth in which the Kaison phonograph was being exhibited and was cuused by the igniting of @ piove of muslin from # spirit lamp used for cementing wines to shells, There were but fow people in the building at that hour, and the flash was only seen by those in ¢ vicinity. Aside from a slight scarc the shifting of several stands no damage was do The man who was burned——C. G. Earle, proprietor of a stand directly under the piece of muslin that caught nre-tore the burning cloth from its fastenings end threw iton the floor. The fire was extinguished by the police. Damage about $25. FITZ JOHN PORTER INQUIRY. Some further testimony in the Fite John Porter in- vestigation was taken yesterday at the oflive of Mr, Maltby, one of General Porter's counsel. Colonel Dobson, of the Third Maryland infantry, was called by Major Gardner, the Judge Advocate, and testified that his brigade of Banks’ command rouched Bristow Station on the night of the atter resting day, was Gainsvilic, After proceeding about three and a halt iiles they halted, and in the afternoon returned to Bristow Station. The only force of the enemy they saw were some videttes, The object of this testimony ‘was to show that this movement caused Wilvox's command of the Confederate fores to be sent to their extreme right. Captain Jobn H, Piatt, of this city, and formerly of General Pope's staff, wae next called by General Pore ter’s counsel. He testified that at vight o'clock on the morning of August 20 Pope sent him from Centre- ville with an order to McDowell directing Porter to roceed with bis corps and King’s division of Me- jowell's corps toward Gainsville; he met Gen- Porter in awdlvance of the head of is command about a mile from Ball Run, on the road to Manassas station, and gave him the order, as it concerned him chiefly, aud then pro- ceeded to General McDowell, to whom he delivered General Pope's message; General MeDowell told him to say to General Tope that he should ask Porter to put King on his right in his line, when formed, #0 ax to have him near his own troops; the witness ‘was positive that it wax not before nine o'clock that the order was delivered, and was cross-examined by the Jadye Advocate as to this pol ‘Two more witnesses were to be called by the Judge Advoeat essrs. O'Bannion and Lane, of Virginia, who belonged to Longstreet’s corps, It is under- stood that the printing of the testimony is proceed- ing rapidly, and that there will be no delay in pro- coeding with the arguinents on the 18th of December, the time set down at the last adjourument of the | ANNIE MWKEENT: Story of a Sister of Mercy Who Had Been a Rebel Guerilla, ONE OF QUANTRELL'S BAND. Her Death in New Orieans from Nursing the Victims of the Scourge. a Sr. Louis, Noy. 21, 1878. A remarkable romance has recently come to light by the death of a young woman by yellow fever in New Orleans. Annie McKeene was the wife of a noted Missouri guerilla, herself for a long time a veritable rough rider of the border, und finally a Sister of Morey, in which capacity she met her death dur! the scourge in the Crescent City. Lhe story of her singular career, as authenticated aud told to the Hxkatp correspondent, is as follows:—During the month of September, in the year 1962, there rode up to the farmhouse of Andrew Harris, near- Indepen- dence, Mo., a band of seventy men, armed to the teeth with shotguns and revolvers. ‘They all sat well on their horses, were strong end young and had an unconcerned air of determined bravery. | A few were but boys, while othars had beards and long hai They were dressed in diverse styles; some in red, blue or cheeked flannel shirts ; others wore coats. All had boots coming up over the pantaloons above the knee, and most with big spurs at the heels, Their horses were magnificont and well decked off with fine saddles and showy bridles. At the head of the com- pany rode a small man, with a pale face, light, short hair, blue eyes and slight mustache, It was Quantrell and his men. Who needs be told what they were? Not such robbers nor frightful looking people as some would imagine, but bad enough indeed. ‘They opened the gate of the barnyard, went in and dismounted, having left a guard on the hill half a mile back. ‘They pulled down the hay, opened the corn crib and made themselves at home without saying a word to Andrew Harris, the good old farmer they had come to despoil, But he ‘was not disturbed—he was ready to give them all ho had, for he was one of that numerons class who lived in that section who were but too ready to succor any- body whose mission it was to fight the Kansas Juy- hawkers. The guerillas then found Mr. Harris a friend, warm and ready to aid them, even at the risk of his life. Quantrell was invited to take dinner at tho house with the family and his officers were in- vited to come with him. JOHN M‘KEENE. One who went was John McKeene, in courage or stature the peer of any man in the command, and ono of the guerilla chieftain’s most trusty counsellors. He had become famous for daring deeds as well as 4 handsome appearance. He had come from Cass county, and, in the breaking out of the war, his father and two brothers had been killed by Jennisen’s men from Kansas. McKeene took an oath that no grass should grow under his feet in his pursuit of the murderers of his father and brothers, and he kept his oath with a frightful vengeance. He, like most of his companions in arms, became a desperado with revenge 4s the impelling motive. He had killed mon, both old and young. He had learned to shoot them down with as much deliberateness as if he were engaged ina simple pratice of marksman- ship. But he was handsome tor all that. He stepped like an athlete, and had a rude manner that was grace- ful in its way. He wore a wide brimmed, light colored hat, on which was pinned a black feather wide belt of red morocco, with gold embroidery and the cavalry boots of a federal colonel. ‘Lo his belt there always swung 4 pair of ivory handled navy revolvers. These were all the arms that he used and all that he carried, With these he was a master, ready always, quick as @ panther and deadly in his aim. AMONG YRIENDS. There was then, instead of fear, enthusiasm at the house of Andrew Harris on the eg oe end day that Quantrell came to forage on him, Never were corn, hay and oats, as well as food for the men, given away with a better good will. But Andrew Harris was not alone in his hospitality. His wife hadason with Price and another buried on the field of Wilson's Creek. She was doing a labor of love. And there was another, the only child left at home, a girl seventeen years old, who, like many of her sex in that time and country, had wished hundred times that she were a mun that she might go into the war. She was rather pretty. Her cyes were blacker than an Indian maiden's and ax picreing, and her hair was as 1 as straight—a type of women well known to those who lived in Western Missouri in those troublesome days. Sho had made flags, large and small, which she gave to those of her neighborhood who went out to fight. She had made herself a dress of red and white. sort of a rebel soldicr to her was ademi-god, The w insanity of the times found in her a splendid repre- sentative, Her nume, ny as Sho wax, was familiar through half a hundred counties. Shi is known at every federal post in the State, and the authorities had otten threatened to banish or imprison As a wo- ian she was as notorious as John man, They had heard of cach other ni had longed to sce cach other. He bad said she wax the bravest woman in Missouri; she had said he was the bravest man of all the rough riders of the border. Consequently when they met at her father’s table it was a cordial meeting, and each was more than pleased. As the sun went down Quantrell and his men rodo away, and as they passed along in front of the house Annie stood at the gate auc received a salute f each one. Then it was that she wished i vently than ever that she was a man, that sho might go along. THE PENALTY. On the following morning, before the sun had come up, the advance guard of the pursuing federals came up to the house of Andrew Harris in hot pur- suit. They had been told by a dozen friendly citizens of the hospitality extended’ to Quantrell and his men by the old tarmer and this was offence cnough. Th called him out and, after a few unimportant ques- tions, shot him down, then burned the house. In less than an hour they bad made aseene of black desolation, and the girl and the mother had sought refuge with a kind-hearted neighbor, Tt was the way of the times—a characteristic of guerilla warfare, and something that needs no apolony now since time has dried up the tears, buried the dead and put out the fires, The pursuit of Quantrell continued until he was overtaken, ‘Chere was a close, sharp fight, which resulted in the defeat and disbandment of the guerillas, MAN AND WIFE IN THE SADDLE. John MeKeene returned to the ruins of the Harris homestead und learaed the whole story, He met Aunie Harris, and the two pledged their vows of eternal vengeance. There was more than that. She said she would go with him and deal the blows of death a he did. On horseback they pat to an humble preacher's house, and, without alighting, had him make them man and wife. She threw away her woman's dreas and donued a male attire, She put on @ belt besides and two revolvers, and her long 1 she tucked up under her hat. She looked ax like # soldier as aany a young boy that went Quantrell. The whole land was full of fe: diers, and John MeKeene and his gucrilla wif share the dangers aud privations of all of their kind. ‘Their home was tho saddle, their shelter the woods. They were together in more than one ambush at- tack, and together saw more than one of the hated enemy bite the dust. When the winter came and the teaves loft the trees they rode away to the South, ant waited there until the leaves were again as big as the ears of the squirrels, when they returned to their coustant battle gronad. THY DIVORCE OF DEATH. On aJune morning, in 180%, as they, with half a dozen others, were riding along over the prairie near where now stands the little town of Leo's Summi’ they were met by 4 detachment of the Seventh | Missouri State tuilitia, There was a desperate en- counter, in which John MeKeene wax shot dead and Aunie McKeene was shot through the shoulder. The others of the guerillas escaped. W' the vals came up to where McKeene and his wife were lying | mt Of the soldiers leveled his revolver at” the | of the woman in disgtive, but before the | triguer was pulled she threw off her hut, snatched long hair down and sat up before him with the ta of a wom ‘The revolver put np and th mystery solved, She told them all she had lived was yore, but that she was not ready te She begged them to give her com burial they could, and swid she wa Kausus City, There was a tone of v of earnostiiess about what she» hoarts of the rough soldiers, ™ MeKeone out on the broad prairi a stone nor & pivee of Wood within @ half-dozen miles of the place, and nothing was left to mark the place of the grave. But it was such a burial as many a | poor man did not have in those ¢ A SISTER OF MERC Annie McKeene wax taken to hansas City, whero she recovered under the blessed care of some Sisters: Morey. She went to Memphis, Tenn., and there joined the Catholic teh and resolved to devote her life to the care of th and thedistressed. She be- | came @ Sister of Mercy, went to the frout of the and during the remainder of the war was nd ting in her work of love and imerey. er the ing of peace she went to New Orleans and be- | came attached to the convent of the Sisters of M In devotion to her mission there was not o1 eurp her in earnestness, She was alway to bear the heaviest burden, and manitested the fortitude in # good work that she had in a reckless uerilla warfare as the wife of John MeKeene, Sho | ore the secret of her life well, It was a memory | that had grown sacred by her expiation, and around it was the sweet incense of a thousand prayers that had gone up out of a soul of tears. 7 dio herselt. m the best | wd to yo to | | ference with Count; DYING FOR OTTERS. When the late upidemic came on sho Was among (ho foremost to go to the bedside of the stricken and the dying. She watched by day and by night—as tuitb- ful # nurse as ever saw the spark of ‘lite out, Not vnly with ber hands did she aid the snftering, but in word as well did she give strength to many 4 poor heart. ‘Thus she labored and thus she fulfilled the sacred vow of her life, till the Father of Merey clained the Sister of Merey as His own, Annie Me- Keene, of 186, was the Sister Celeste whose death wus announced as follows in the New Orleans pa- “SisrkR CeLesrit.—In this city, at the Convent of the Sisters of Merey, Sister Celeste, on Wednesday, September 18, 1578, “Solemn high iass of requiem at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, next Friday, at nine o'clock A, M.”" RAILROAD SCHEMERS. THE FORTY-SECOND STREET, ST, NICHOLAS AVE- NUE AND MANHA NVILLE RAILROAD COM- PANY AGAIN BEFORE ‘tHE ALDERMANIC COM- MITLER—THE OPPONENTS OF THE MEASURE REARD, ‘The Forty-second Street, St. Nicholas Avenue and Manhattanville Railroad Company's petition to the Common Couneil, requesting authority to change thelr route in such a manner as to bring the road in communication with the upper portion of the west side district was aya’n up for consideration yesterday before the Aldermanic Committee on Railroads, At the last meeting of the committee a purtial hearing was given to the advocates of the mousure, as repre- sented by Simeon E. Chureh, Cyrus Clarke, Henry Kelly and other property owners, aud thes: together with Fernando Wood and William Ls appeared before the committee yesterdsy in order to hear and try to refute the arguments which might be made by those opposed to granting the franchise unless an adequate componsation was obtained for it. Many members of the Council of Political Reform have expressed thomselves as being not in favorof awarding the valuable franchise to any company, unless after public competition has been invited, and the organization was represented yesterday in the Aldermanic chamber by Mr, Henry N. Boers, A number of property owners and tax- payers of the upper part of the city were also present When the committee, whi-h is compose 1 of Messrs Guntzer, Reilly and Phillips, had taken their seats, Mr. Cyrus Clarke submitted to the committee a short statistical statement showing the number of prop- erty owners who had signed the petitioa to have the proposed road constructed, together with the yalue of the real estate which they owned. By the document it is shown that the owners of 652 lots had signed the petition, while the owners of 515 lots had not indorsed it, ‘The number of persons who are owners of property in the vicinity of the proposed road is given as 3 Of these 195 have signed the petition. ‘Uhe entire tax value of the property is put down as $6,428,500, The owners of $3,461,800 worth of th: property have pe- titioned for the granting of the privilege asked for by the Forty-second Strect Railroad Company. In every case there is a majority in favor of the building of the road, The majority in Jots is given as 137, in lot owners as 53 and in value as $495,100. WHAL THE OPPONENTS SAX, Aiter the document had been handed to the com- mittee Mr. Simon Wormser spoke against granting, the franchise asked by the railroad. In the course of a few remarks be said that the city should not, in any way whatever, contribute i ightest degreo to the disfigurement of ul thorough- fare as the Grand Bou avenue had been laid out at great expense as a public drive, aud it should be reserved exclusively for that purp Avast amount of money had been expended in in- proving the Boulevard, aud yet it was now proposed to make the avenue a common horse car tramway. There had been gentlemen who had argued that it would be for the best interests of the city, aa well as for their own individual interests, if « road should be built us proposed. But he thought the property would not be improved very much cven if such # rail- road were put in operation. The gentlemen had the Kighth and the Ninth avenue rouds and he did not think anybody would claim that they were the cause of any great improvement to the property on the west side of the city. He was of opinion that what was wanted in the upper part of the city was an ele- vated road. That and that only would improve prop- erty in a very great degree. Mr. Henry N. Beers then spoke for a few moments in opposition to the views of the property owners present. He said that the franchise asked for should not be given to the Forty-second Street Railroad Com- pany unless it was first put up at public auction and that company happened to be the highest bidder, Neither himself nor the other members of the or- ganization to which he belonged considered that it would be right to give such a valuable privilege away for nothing. Mr. Woop—If your suggestion were adopted no railroad could ever be built. The competing lines would all organize and buy up the franchise, und yet never lay a track, Mr. Bkers—I don’t think you are right, Mr. Wood. The city ought to have received a revenue of over $3,000,000 for all the valuable franchises which it had in its gift. Instead of that it only gets a mere nomi- nal sumn—only a few thousand dollars. Tam against giving away ‘any more valuable privileges, and I think the best way to prevent this is by selling them at public auction. Mr. William H. Laimbeer, in a long address, sought to prove that the proposed Toad was a urcat necessity to those residing in the upper district, In relation to what had been said in reference to the influence exerted by the Eighth Avenue Railroad, he merely wished to swy that that road had done a great deal of good, more good, probably, than some people ima- ined, wanted on the west side, ust such a road, for instance, as was proposed to be built by th ty-xecond Strect, 8t. Nicholas Avenue Mr. Laimbeer then 4 tion to the yf property on the vides of the city, after which the committee ad- journed, Among ‘the gentlemen who were presen bat who did not take a prominent part in the diseu sion, were ex-Park Commissioner William R. Martin, Mr. Thomas KE. Stowart and Mr. Knox, STREET CAR CAR ACCIDENT. As car No, 300 of the Flushing avenue line, Brook- lyn, was going down the hill in Sands street, between Gold street and Hudson avenue, about half-past five o’clock yesterday afternoon, filled with passengers, Angust Sity, the driver, found that owing to the track being wet the brakes bad no effect and the speed of the car could not be checked. As the car Vegan increasing in speed he quickly unhitched the horses. As soon as the passengers realized their position great excitement provailed and @ rush was made for the doors, The conductor as- sured them that no one would be injured if they remained quict, and succeeded in pre- venting 4 number of — the passengers from jumping off. Notwithstanding several pers rap ahead of tl ‘ar and place tones on the trac! throw it off, it continued on its conrse until Hu aycnue was reached, At this point it turned and col- lid with # couch driven by John MeManns and occupied by Mary Reilly, twenty-seven years of age, of No, 3 Jackson’s court, and = Maursella Moran, twenty-six years of age, of No. 3 Little street. The coach was badly smashed, but the occupants, fortunately, wero only slightly injured. The horses and vehicle are owned by John McElroy, of Water street, who estimates his loss at $400. The damuge to the car was trifling, and the passengers escaped unhurt. CIty NEWs ITEMS. ‘Tho police arrosted 1,174 persons last week, One hundred and thirty emigrants arrived yester- Castle Garden. ¢ Heranp yesterday received $3 from Sarah BE. Dutton tor Bi Bengel, ot No. 264 Kast Houston street. Four hundred and sixty-one deaths, 496 births, 166 marriages and 42 still births were reported at the Bureau of Vital Statistics last week, During the past week twenty-five plans have been filed fn Superintendent Adanus’ office for the ercetion of new buildings, which will cost the aggregate eum of $413,900, Forty employes of the Fire Department were tn- formed yesterday that “in consequence of the ex- hausted condition of the appropriation their services would be no longer required.” In the case of Jamos B. McAdau, son of dud McAdam, of the Marine Court, who was killed on the October by the falling of a brick from # chimney (Mssau @trcud, w Coroner's jury determined yestur- y that death was due (o accidental causes, Professor B. Silliman, of New Maven, Conn., gave a lecture last eveuin the Cooper Institute on the “Paris Exposition.” ‘The lecture was a most inter- ny one, and the leading features of the Exposition were illustrated by a series of stereoscopic viows. Au inquest was held yesterday by Coroner Flaua- wan in the ease of Vietor D. Butler, forty years of agi who, on the Sth inst., shot bimeelf in the head at nis residence, No, 201 Seventh avenue, * After several wit- nesses had been examined the Jury raadered a verdict ut suicide, In rn a of the illness of Commissioner George F. Betts tho testimony in the alleged case of was not taken jeetion i eater miatouer expecta to Uwe auMetontly te cred to commence the hearing to-morrow morn: huis office, No. 6 Wall street, aN At Jefferson Market Police Conrt yesterday Rafaclo Giurato was accused by Cecilia Latore, of No. #3 Sul- livan street; Mrs, Theresa Laryone, of No. 43 Spring street; Michacle Nigro and others of having robbed them of over $200 ut different timer. Judyo Otter- vourg held him in $2,000 bail to answer, Henry ¥. Knox, J. Adriauce Bush and Charles F. McLean, the sub-committee appointed by the Bar As- suciation to investigate the charges iuet the Sheriff, Register and County Clerk, yesterday vistted the County Clerk's office, ‘They had an extended con- Clerk Gumbleton and afterward said that he had offered them every facility for ex- wining the bvoks and records of his de; ent, 7 RESUMPTION. Secretary Sherman’s Explanations to Baltimore Bankers. REDEMPTION IN NEW YORK CITY. oe Greenbacks Taken for Duties and ip Payment for Bonds. EQUALITY OF "NOTES AND COIN, WaAsHING 10N, Nov. 23, 1878. cvotary Sherman this afternoon gave audience to a committee of Baltimore financiers, with whom the subject of resumption was diseussed. This com- mitte consisted of Messrs. W, W. Taylor, president of National Union Bank; Mr. John Lauren Norris, | President of the First National Bank, and Mr, B. A, Vickers, president of the Marine State Bank. During the interview, which was private, it was agreed that the Secretary should order his private secretary to write the substance thereof, to be submitted to the visiting bankers at half-past two P. M., and, when approved by them, be made public, The following, then, is the report of the interview between the delo- gation and the Secretary :— A PEW QUESTIONS FOR THE SECRETARY. ‘Mr. Secretary, at a meeting of the ass ciated banks of Baltimore, convened on Tues- day last, a committee, composed of Messrs. Norris, Taylor and Vickers, was appointed to consider and report at an adjourned moeting what action is expe dient to be adopted by the Baltimore banks and ex” pressing their sympathy with and co-operation in the resumption by the government of specie payments on the Ist of January next. In pursuance of this duty we have deemed it necessary to ask for this interview with you and hope to elicit from you such definite information on the subject aa will enable us and the banks generally to act dis- creetly and understandingly. We have, therefore, prepared some questions, which we respectfully beg to submit to you:— Firsi—Are United States legal tender notes to be received at the Baltimore Custom House on and after January 1, 1879, in payment of customs duties at their tuce valu Necoud—Will United States legal tenders be received on and after January 1, 1879, at their face value in the purehase of United States bonds from the Treasury ? Third—Will United Stutes legal tender notes be re- deemed in gold at the office of the United States Treasurer in Baltimore on and after January 1, 1874 Fourth—Will standard silver dollars be issued in exchange for greenbacks in Baltimore on and after January 1, 1879, and contrariwise ; that is, will green- backs be issued for the standard silver dollars? Fifth—Will there be an issue of certificates for the deposit of silver with the Assistant Treasw of the United States at Baltimore, and will these certificates be treated as silver coin’ in payment of customs duties and other indebtedness to the government? Sisth—Will the government, after January 1, 1879, continue the issuance of certificates of deposit of legal tender notes, commonly known as clearing house cer- tificate Of course, Mr. Secretary, these questions are sug- gested in consequence of the law providing that re- demption shall take place in New York, It is not perhaps limited to New York, but still that city is named us the place of redemption, and the Baltimore banks, therefore, have been very much ut @ loss to know how to act and what might be the effect pro- vided other points than New York were excluded, This is eapeciaily important, in view of the necessity of keeping gold accounts for customs duties with many of our leading importing houses.” RESUMPTION BEGINS IN NEW YORK. The Sccretary—I inferred, gentlemen, from the ap. pointment you made with me that some such ques- tions as you now propose would be submitted to me, but as the law requires me officially to report to Con- gress in a little more than a week upon the very topics you suggest it would be manifestly improper for me to now discuss them in such detaill as frankness woull require. But I omay say a few things which will substantially answer the object of this interview. It is true that actual redemption is contined, by the law, to the office of the Assistant ‘Treasurer at New York. ‘This is a wise provision, for it would be inexpedient to scatter the redemption fund so that it would not be readily available. Redemption in New York, the chief commercial city of the country, establishes the equality of the United States notes with coin, and this is the main thing, and carries with it their equal- ity in all parts of the United States. The difficulties suggested by the Baltimore banks could be met by cither of several expodients. ‘First—This department can now, by express pro vision of law, sell or exchange coin for greenbacks ‘This has been done for years at Boston, Baltimore, Chicago and other leading ports at the same premium for gold as the market rate at New York. This could be continued after January 1, when at New York the rate will be at par, and, therefore, the same elsewhere. Second—United States notes, being at a parity with coin, can, I think, under existing law, be received for customs duties, and this is the only purpose for which coin is required by law to be paid to the gov- ornment by a citizen, and it is the purpose for which it is usually desired. If there is any doubt upon this point Congress may expressly authorize it. Third—If United States notes are taken for duties in New York they must be taken for duties in every port of the United States, Otherwise an unconstitu- tional preference would be made in favor of one port over other ports in the United States, Fourth—After resumption United States notes must be beld and maintained at par for all purposes in all parts of the United States. They can be transported easily and speedily, while coin cannot be so readily and cheaply moved, It would seem that it we secure absolutely the convertibility of United States notes into coin at the chief commercial city we practically secure the same convertibility at every other place in the Unitel States. Exchange is in favor of New York, bat a tem- porary premium elsewhere will be insignificant and cannot exceed the small cost of transporting United States notes to New York. That may and has oc« curred when specio payments wore the rule every+ whore, and is less likely to occur now when we hayo a nuniform paper circulation current in all parts of the United States. ANSOLUTE EQUALITY OF COTN AND GREENBACKS, My yeneral answer, therefore, (> you is that the United States will maintain its .oces at par in coin im United States, wud will do so by the redemption ‘h notes as are presented to the As- sistant Treasurer at New York and by the receipt of United States notes for both customs duties and bonds, I think this can be done without a change of the law, but as to this Congress must be the judge. Tho | ‘Treasury will treat United States notes and coin as am exact equivalent in all transactions with the govern~ ment, and then all busintss everywhere in the United States will adapt itself to the same standard, Having. stated this much Ido not think that I ought te go further, and, perhaps, in my deside to be {rank with you, L may have broached questions that should await the opening of Congress. ANGELL, THE DEFAULTER At the office of the Pullman Palace Car Company, No. 3 Broad street, it was stated yesterday that an official letter bad been received in the morning from uncing that the Portu- 1 to hand over to the W. Angell, the secre- led on July 24 with now being drawn back at an carly ese govern! Tnited States authorities Charl tury of the company, who absc $120,000, ‘Tho necessary papers ‘up and the tugitive will be brought day. THE YORK STREET HOMICIDE. At the Fifth precinct station house yesterday Cores ner Flanagan held an inquest on the body of William Pease, who waa stabbed by Francisco Degolia, at No, 1) York street, on Friday night, Several witnesses Yo Xerk, street Welading tie. wie. c€ tke aanenees and her alleged pararuour, Dominick Theodore, bat they could way pg ig about the aud the causes which led it than was published in the Henanp yesterday, The ined that de coused came to his death by stab wounds inflicted by Francisco Degolia, and the latter was remanded to thi City Prison, without bail, to await the action of Grand Jury, ‘The wituesses were sent to the Hous of Detention, thy; RE