The New York Herald Newspaper, February 10, 1879, Page 8

8 STAGE REWARDS. Acwrs Who Have Made Fortunes and Those Who Have Not. HIGH PRICED HISTRIONS Lesser Lights Bearing the Burden of the Hard Times. ‘The announcement that Mr. D. Boucicault received from his managers a check for $600 euch night—and that before the peiformance was concluded—during three consecutive weoks, suggests the consideration of salarics paid the stage people in geuery) and “stars” in particular. It is evident that while suc- cessful artists make, if they do not keep, enormous fortunes, the average actor is no better off than the average clerk, for what he makes up in salary is lost iu expenses. The chief stars here and in England eoin money fast. Sothern, Booth, Neilson, Owens, Maggie Mitchell, Chanfrau and a few others have the cream of the business, leaving the skim milk for managers and pretty hard tack for the minor people. The past and present -seasons have been far trom profitable to a majority of metropolitan managers and ruinous to many provincial managers, but the popular stars have carried harvests of cash outside of New York, which place, for some inscrutable reason, has proved a very Golgoths to nearly every one who bid for public favor. A GLANCE AT BOOTH. The great prosperity of Edwin Booth dates from & period in the easy recollection of the Present genera- tion of theatre goers. In his earlier days he had no drawing power, and when William Stuart, the veteran manager of the Winter Garden, announced him for @ Beason he was looked upon with unaffected wonder. Fortune and the quick wit of Mr. Stuart favored Booth that year, and to the bright suggestion of the manager that he should play “Hamlet,” be Hamlet and look Hamlet off as well as on the stage can fairly be credited the sudden jump he made into public fovor. From that time his star,was in the ascendant. In spite of his bankruptcy Edwin Booth is regarded as avery wealthy man. His invariable terms are $500 & performance, and for this sum a check must be given “before Edwin can goon.” The present Mrs. Booth is a capable business managew and to her Mr. Booth owes muck. In Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco Edwin Booth is a powerful attraction. In Brooklyn he played an enormous engagement, clear- ing in two weeks the sum of $25,000, which, how- ever, was but little in excess of the amount droppeq in the Lyceum of this city. His last engagement in this city was a terrible blow to him and to the man- agement. His terms were $500 a performance; but the receipts were next to nothing, comparatively speaking. It is understood that Booth declines to play more then thirty weeks in a year. At his terms of $600 for each performance, or, including a matinée, $2,500 a week, this would give him an annual income of $100,000; but he could easily play forty weeks at the same terms. HOW SOTHERN RAKES IT IN. Mr. E. A. Sothern estimated his property a year or two ago at the pleasant figure of three-quarters of a Million. Real estate values have fallen some since then, but Sothern has made mdéney still. His tarms are always $500 a performance, uniess he’plays on shares, and in the latter specialty he has had as high as eighty per cént of. the gross receipts. An engagement made for him by Mr. Harry Wail netted him, in Canada, that extraordinary percentage, and the management made money at that. Unlike Booth, Sothern fur- nishes the play. He either owns or virtually con- trols all his specialties, and as a rule ingists that certain specified artists shall support him in the principal réles. Although he has made much more than 500 & week, it would @ fair average for forty-five weeks in each ot the Pgst ten years. In other words, he can caleulate: dednitely on $157,500 gnnual income, not counting benetits, of which he @iways has ono in each city of his circuit, or the Jarge suins made when he elects a percentage on the ross receipts. Some years ago Southern invested largely in real estate ‘in this city aud elsewhere in the United States, making a mistake common in those times, from which he not only derives no income, but on which he has to pay heavy taxes, Ocecasionuliy Mr. Sothern has essayed the réle of man- er, but generally with indifferent success, In new Plays he has found but little profit, but “Our Ameri- ean Cousin” and “Garrick” ure mimes which, al- though worked incessantly for many years, give no Bigus of being used up. It was said some years ago that the man who would write @ first rate meio- Grama for Edwin Booth would make @ fortune for himself and add to Booth's fame, as well as give him @ monumental estate. The actor has long wauted a play in which Napoleon the Great should figure, he, ‘of course, to play the leading ric. In this respect he differs from Sothern, who nas had many piays writ- ten for him, while none was ever written Yor Booth. Like Booth, Sotuern is married. He, Lowever, lives iu style and spends liberally in entertaining, while Booth caretully saves and puts away tor a rainy day. NEILSON AND DAVENPORT, In fome rerpects Adelaide Neilson was the most ate star our American heavens have seen. She had an unsuccessful season, and made money Where other favorites dropped money. When she first came here she was well heralded ‘and sprang at nce into favor. She has made as much as $1,000 0 Bightsix nights a week for four consecutive weeks. At times she has played as low as $1,000 a week; but she found uo difficully in closing contracts for filty- two weeks in the year at $500 a performance, matince ducluded. indeed, the Nejison matinées’ in New York and Boston were always features of the week, a8 ladies could “attend without escorts, a fact which out-of-town and sub- urban residents fully apprectute. Miss Neil- son's property, real and personal, is vaiued at $500,000, or which a large part is invested in real Gar. in New York and Cuicago. When she was out Vest the surprising growth of the country impressed her, and she was persuaded to buy heavily of prop- erties already well ballooned. The subsequent heavy declines affected her seriously, and had it not been for the kind aid of business friends her losses would have crippled her. Still,a woman who can make $3,500 a week, not counting benefits, of which she averages ten annually, cannot well be disabled pecuniarily. Miss Neilson wisely declined to pur- Chase new plays, but contented herself with utilizin, her oid répertowre, She is now playing in the Britis! Provinces and doing well. It is said that she con- ‘templates another visit to this country, gud managers are ready for her at her old time ter: - teran manager said recently that next to Ade- cilson, Miss Fauny Davenport is the most val antry. By that he meant that command ‘big rates and that her have no fear about her drawing abil- it is but a few years ¢ Miss Davenport Managers necd ity. juyed in burlesque in Hooley’s Minstrel Hail in Hrooklyn, dressed in boy’s clothes and appealing to yullery youth, Her fortune is © has made @ great deal of money and Jor $1,000 a week and a benefit, when ppular drama, Oles Miss Dav plays in In new réle nport does not make so mutch money, She pur. of “Olivia” and with a company of zing travels over the country. Dra muutic agents say that Fanny Davenport alone is one of the be: ying stars in the list, but with a company and her own plays, she is like many others; good eve, bud there and mai t elsowuiere, OWENS AS A MONEY MAIER, ¢. Uwens is reputed to be the wealthiest ession. He is fond of playing on ets from $3,000 to $4,000 a week, ie has a cumulated a prop- erty estimated at $ which is the direct ontgrowth of real estate ventures, For twonty y however, Mr. Owens has laid away a handaome fortune annually, Like ali the most successful Sectors Mr. Owens is a specialist. As Sothern has his Dundreary, Booth bis Hamlet and Jefferson his Kip Vau Winkle, Owens has lus Soion Shingle. Mr. Owens has avoiled speculations in his art and never goes on th ui with companies ot hisown. He lays on an average thirty weeks in the year, gives ws receipts for about $40,000 aud pends the rest of dis time on his farm. » SRFFRRSON, MAGGIE MILCHRLL AND LOTTA. Although Mr. Jefferson is a delineator of one char acter rather than au ator, as generally understood, he stands near the head of the rieh men im his profes+ sion. He genersliy plays on shares, and makes from $3,000 to $5,000 & week for forty weeks in the year. His terms with the Fifth Aveuue Theatre manage- Ment Were oxtraordinary-—haif of every dollar that came in wutil $1,000 were received’ and three warters of every doliar above $1,000! Mr, Jefferson jas been @ pecuniary favorite for many years. His fortune is variously estimated at frou $500,000 to 1,000,000, He owas property in New York, New jersey and Louisiana, and is very earetul of it all. Miss Maggie Mitehell is another favorite on whom pecuniary fortune has long smiled. She cau cleat ¥ 000 a year with ease, and having cleared it she knows how to keep it. Miss Lotta Crab averages $1,000 a week, and bids rair to do better yet. Mr, Boucicault’s drawing power cannot be very well estimated, because he appears in his own plays only, His last en ged with his own dram: netted him $500 eac! mance, If he weeks ina come would be $140,000 trom that is also one of the well-to-do men in bis profession, a reat part of hia fortune being made from plays bear- fug his name. OTNER AR! * : It would be difficult to class Clara Morris, Mary Anderson, Lawrence Barrett, Mra, Bowers, Fr mk Cusntrau, Fravk Mayo, Vliver Doud Byron, Kose ‘ Eytinge, Joseph Murphy, Robson and Crane, Mod- jeska, the Lingards and others less known, because, while they are enormously successful in some places they are said to be quite the reverse 1m others. While they make a os yd deal of money in some theatres they play to business in others. Mod- jeska, for instance, made u hit and a fortune here last year, but her next engagement was a failure. . ‘THR STOCK COMPANIES. From the foregoing it may be inferred that actors are coining money, whether the managers are or tinguished in every sense from the rank and file of their onerous profession. Leading men and leading |, Women have to work hard for their pay, aud inferior men and women work harder yet for their compensa tion, Here and there a Coghian earns $300 & week for thirty-five or torty weeks,a Montagne draws $250 for forty weeks and a Gilbert gets $125 for the same peridd, but $100 is considered a large salary, while many of the best artists in stock companies work Lik vers for $50 to $85 a week, “Fascinating” young men and “attractive” juvenile women find no difficulty in on $100 to $150 a week, but the average stage is a road to travel, and many a mock duke and acting princess strut their briet hour in gorgeous gerb, knowing that the Sheriff's officer awitits their coming, and that no butcher, baker or candlestick maker cogpits upon a fortune from their patronage. “SHARING” RECEIPTS. it would bly aogere to lay down exact pro- rammes for 3 or stock actors, as their courses Siter in nearly every city. For instance, Booth is known a6 a “slider”—i.e¢., he makes terms of one sort in New York and of another in San Francisco, When he played in the Arch Street Theatre, Phila- delphia, he hail seventy-five per cent of the gross receipts and furnished himself and his support. Attey an absence of thirteen years he netted $32,000 in six weeks, and the management cleared the same amount. It is well known that he refused $1,000 a to pluy 100 nights in Booth’s Theatre in this but there was a case in which sentiment playeda part. Of late years itis a prevalentcustom for certain stars to ‘share after expenses," but even that has its peculiarities in different cities. In New York $500 are allowed; in Boston, $376; in San Francisco, $500; in Philadelphia, $350; tp Cincinnati, $200, and in Pittsburg, $200. The point is here:—Stars are glad to share, because their self-esteem bids them look for a tig week's business, and managers are willing to share, because when business falls off they are sure of expenses in any event and have noth- ing to pay for the attraction. ter Wallack gener- ally gets $300 a night, but he has made as high as $2,000 a week in Brooklyn, where he is a great favorite.. Managers generally share with Lawrence Barrett and with John T. Raymond, Mrs. Bowers is said to be worth $150,000. E. L. Davenport was al- ways good for $6v0 a* week on salary, but he was fond of travelling and sharing and died poor. Lotta Crabtree, now a mature woman, is considered good for $260,000. Maggie Mitchell prefers travelling with her own company and in her own plays. Last season she netted about $1,500 a week. McCullough shares, after expenses. Frank “Mayo has worked Jong and hard, and his Crockett specialty is said to have put over $60,000 in his pocket. John 8. Clarke shares, after ex- penses, and is very rich. The #lorences make here and lose there; their San Francisco engagement of four weeks petted them $23,000, The late Barney Williams was fortunate in having a careful wife, and when he died he lett behind him about $250,000. Ned Adams made but kept no money. That Montague left so small an estate was a surprise to all who knew . him. He had $250 a week from Wallack’s and was permitted now and then to star. He made $1,100 in one night in Brook yn, and in Boston about $1,400 a week, That he would have done well in “Diplomacy” seems probable. Miss Clara Morris would have one of Ameri it fortunes if her health was: re- liable. Managers would gladly ay her $500 a night for fifty weeks in the year if there were any cer- tainty of her playing. © As it is she makes money tast, but thus far, it is said, has not been able to save much, “ALL HANDS ON DECK.” RALPH RACKSTRAW LAURENT TRIED ON A CHARGE OF MUTINY—THE CAPTAIN OF H, M. 8. PINAFORE APPEARS AGAINST HIM—JUSTICE WANDELL, K. C, B., ACQUITS THE PRISONER. “Henri Laurent alias Ralph Rackstraw, ot H. M. 8. Pinafore, to the bar,”’ quietly observed Justice Wan- dell’s clerk, Mr. Murray, in Jefferson Market Police Court yesterday. “How? What did youcall him?” queried the magis- trate in some surprise. “Did you never hear of him, before?” “No, never.” “What, never?” “Well, hardly ever. That is to say, who on earth are they?” The prisoner, Mr. Henri Laurent, who liss been playing the part of Ralph in the Opera, got into trou- ble with the manager, Mr. Duff, at the Standard ‘Theatre on Saturday evening, as reported. in yester- day’s Hrratp. The difficulty between the tenor and Mr. Duff was occasioned by the former’s demand for his salary after the second act, and Mr. Duft’s refusal to pay it until the close of the play. Mr. Laurent was arrested and locked up in the Twenty-ninth precinct for the night, and the whole matter was settled and explained in court yesterday morning. Officer Phelps, of the Twenty-ninth, arraigned his prisoner in due form, and Manager Duff, supported by several of his friends, appeared against Mr. Laurent. COURT MARTIALED. “What's the charge against this gentleman, offi- cer?” asked the magistrate. mt ‘Disorderly conduct, sir.” What did he do?” by “I was called in by Mr. Duffand the managers to arrest him.” « Here Counsellor Stiner, who took care of Mr. Duff and his interests, undertook to expldin how Mr. Laurent “in & most unwarrantable manner’ at- tempted to bring the voyage of H. M. 8. Pinafore to a sudden and disastrous termination after the second act by refusing “‘to.go on” unless he got his week's salary, and expressing his resolve “to go on the stage” and tell the public that he was “going to quit’’ because he could not get his pay, which would, undoubtedly, Mr. Stiner suggested, have caused a great deal of mischief “by panic or otherwise.” To sustain this side of the case the’ business manager, Mr. Wertheimer, and the stage manager, Mr. Mont gomery, werd called and related substantially what has already been told in the Heranp. They gaw no assault or disorderly conduct on either side; but heard quite a row between the disputants, Mr. Duff claimed that he had no intention of with- holding Mr. Laurent’s salary; but he was not soing to pay it until it was due. Mr. Laurent, Mr, Du declared, acted in a very unruly manner a'd finally — the management to substitute Mr. Hatch for im. “What have you to say to all this, Mr. Laurent?” asked the Court. “Well, Your Honor,” began the defendant, when the decorum of the court was disturbed by the loud bang of the door, which sounded like the salute of another man-of-war coming into port. All eyes wore turned ta the portal, through which the imassive form of Counselior Hummel was seen to come. “Hold hard there! aold hard!” said the new comer, rolling down the centre aisle with a truly seamanlike “hold hard!"* Fe was & pause. . Mr. Hummel reached the gate to the sanctuary of Justice and iu an undertone said something to Ofticer Jolly, whose duty it is to allow nobody to pass with- out permission from the Court. Then followed an interchange ot courtesies between Officer Joliy and the counsel, during which the wheels of justice stood still. All that could be heard of this colloquy were the cabalistic words trom counsel :— “Can't admit any one without the Judge's permis- sion, eh? it Your Honor please, I'm counsel for Ralph Mack—I mean Mr. Laurent.” “Oflicer, let the counsel in.” HIS SISTERS, WIR COUSINS AND HIS AUNTS. _Mr. Hummel stepped inside the and ewung his Burly form upon the stand beside hisclient, to whom he spoke bricfly in an undertone, and then glancing back into the auditorium, to where sat Mile. Blanche Corelli, the fature Josephine of the Fitth Avenue nd other members of the ‘Pinatore” com- ible whisper, “Oh, yes, ters and his cousins ‘and his annts, And now, if Your Honor please, we would just like to ask Captain Corcoran—excuse me, 1 mean Mr. John A. Duil—one or two ques tions.” “Certamly, certainly, Your Honor,” benignly ob- served Mr, Stiner. “We don’t object to “ia that our learned friend ‘Lite Buttercup,’ is, Mr. Hummel, may desire to ask.” “Thanks, Dick Deadeye, thauks! Now, then, Mr. pe did you not owe Mr. Laurent here a week's Now, ow, if Your Honor Frags Lobject; I really must. The question at issue i# not one of salary, but of disorderly conduct,” interposed Mr. Stiner. “Counsel will have to confine themselves to the specifications of the eh: ruled the Court. “it Your Honor please, I merely want to show that my client's demand for his week's salary was con- strued into an act of disorderly conduct, Mr. Duff will tell Your Honor that my client merely insisted on the et of that which was due him. Didn't he, Mr. Duff?" “Yes, at an unseemly time—atter the second act. And I told him he couidn’t get his money until his engagement was completed by the close of the play. ‘Theu followed the trouble which obliged me to him renoved by an officer. I did not want the wu dience to be annoyed by this gentleman’s rashness.”” THE KAILON WORSTS THE SKIPPRI “Your Honor,” remarked Mr. Hummel, “my client can tell. you how little reason there was for this harshness on the part of Mr. Duff. Nothing of any moment—apart trom the demand for hi* salary— was done by my client. Everybody can testity to that, for all the actors saw what took piace, and #0 did his sisters and bis cousins and his aunts. Mr. Laurent was unjustifiably arrested aud locked up in a dungeon in the station house all night, and for this outraye he will hold the proper party responsible, aud so will his sisters and his cousins and his aunts, Mr. Laurent’ *yement terminated at the Standard T re on Sattrday night, and is going to appear iu auother “Vinafore” at the Filth Avenue Theatre . NEW YORK HER not; but these favored oues are the foriunates, dis- | for forty weeks im the year, a Thorne receives $200 | to-morrow night, and so are his sisters and his cousins and his aunts; hence the trouble.” “Then there never was an overt act of Seorienty conduct committed by your client, Mr. Humuaell?”* | inquired the Court. “No, never!"” “What! Never?” “Well, hardty ever in his life,"* ‘This and the other testimony, which had alread, been given ou both sides, satisfied the Justice, an he discharged Mr. Laurent, who went away to re- hearsal at the Fifth Avenue Theatre and so did his | sisters and his cousins aud his aunts, vowing that.» suit for $20,000 damages for false imprisonment shall be begun to-day against Mr. Duff, who is confident that his none in the iscs on Saturday was the only one left him by Mr. Laurent. MR. LAURBN2’S VERSION OF THE AVFAIL Mr. Laureut last evening gave the following version of the difficulty whieh occurred on Saturday night ;— “I had been playing there three weeks and a half, and had given Mr, Duff two weeks’ notice of my in- tention to leave. After the first act I sent word by the stage manager that 1 should like to have in galary for the week ending with the’ matince. took this action because rumors were in circulation about the theatre that Mr. Dut? did not intend to pay me, On receiving my message Mr. Duff obtained the assistance of a ere pond and made his way to the room of onegpf the ladies of the company, with whom I was speaking on a matter of, business. The olliver said that he had come* to arrest me and ordered me to s with him down stairs, Not rising with sufficient alacrity to pleasé him, ir. Duff, the manager, grabbed me © arm, ©X- claiming, ‘Damn you, get out of my house!’ aud drugged me trom the chair on which I was sitting. Still nolding me by the arm, aud accompanied by the officer, he escorted me to the stage entrance and there transferred me to the clutches of the police- man, following us, however, to the Thirtieth street station house. heu I asked the officer who arrested me if he had any warrant he pointed to his shield and said that was sufficient, At the station housel over wight and discharged this morning, having caught cold in one of the cells. Mr. Duff claimed that 1 had forced my way into the lady’s room in which he found me, whereas in fact I had been asked to enter it.”* Mr, Laurent exhibited a severe bruise on the right arm which he said had been inflicted by Manager Duff, whom he intends to sue for damages, MR, DUF¥'S SIDE OF THE STORY, Mr. Laurent was suggested by Wortheimer, my business manager, to play the part of Ralph in “Her Majesty’s Ship Pinafore.” . He asked a certain sum of money and a contract to run for eight weeks. Both the salary and time were agreed te by me. He was taught the part and had the advantage of seeing the business of the entire play, which I directed, having'seen it in London. A wevk ago he sent me a note stating that he desired I should fill his place atter February 8, us he intended to resign the part. On being asked the next day if he did not remember that his contract was for eight weeks he uc- kuowedged that such was the fact, but stated that he could better himself, and therefore intended to leave. He was told that his resignation would not be accepted. “Saturday night the house was packed, and between the first and sec- ond acts I received & note from the stage manager stating that Mr. Laurent — to go on the staye. Iwent back immediately and ‘inquired his reason. He stated he would not go on until he had got his salary. Lreplied that his was not due until after the performance, and that the salary day of the theatte was Tuesday. He replied he knew that, but would not go on nevertheless. After asking two or three times, and recei’ his positive refusal, I sent for Mr. Hatch, who, fortunately, was in front of the house witnessing the performance. He had rehearsed the part, and was to have a mee on Monday night. I requested him to go on and finish the performance, and he agreed todo so. Myr. Lawrent then declared his intention of going in front of the curtain to an- nounce to the public his grievances, as he regarded them. I refused to allow him to do go, and it was only by employing force that he was pre- vevented from carrying out his expressed intention. His conduct was so violent that, in order to prevent him from creating further disturbance and car- rying out his threat of going before the curtain, to give him in charge of # police officer. In reference to Mr, Laurent’s statement in the Henaup of yesterday, in which he alleges my refusal to accede to his demands were prompted by a feeling | of jealousy due to his playing: at a rival theatre, is utterly absurd, as thus far the result of the various opposing “H. M. 8. Pinafores” has been to further advertise our performance at the Standard ‘Theatre. Hig statement that two weeks’ salary are due to him is totally false, as I hold his receipt for the week ending February 1, and, as before stated, his salary for last week was not due until the close of Sati night’s performance. AN OPERA COMPANY ATTACHED, ‘Attachments against the property of the officers and crew of “H. M. 8. fore,” which was anchored at the Park Theatre, Brooklyn, during the past week, were served on Saturday night last in behalf of Mary R. Booth, who has a suit ponding against Edward Rice for the recovery of $634, which amount plaintiff claims is her due tor one week's boas of the ship's company when they appeared in Brooklyn last fail in the play of “Evangeline.” The company’s share of the receipts of the evening was also attached, TEMPERANCE WORK. MEETING OF THE AMERICAN TEMPERANCE UNION AT THE LYCEUM THEATRE, The American Temperance Union met yesterday afternoon at the Lyceum Theatre, in Fourteenth street, near Sixth avenue, the President, Rev. William Mason Evans, in the chair. Aiter the opening hymn had been sung and theusual prayer offered up Mr. Evans read a chapter from the Bible, an@ announced that they had among them one of the most eloquent aud earnest men of the clerical ranks, Rev. R, 8, Mac- Arthur, whom he introduced to the audience. Dr. MacArthur said that there had been great ap- parent discord among the temperance workers, and amen had become discouraged in consequence thereo¥. ‘This was a mistake. There is harmony among men niowhere but in the cemetery. Where there is life and activity there is sure to be diversity ot opinion. Some temperance men advocated moral suasion, others legal enactment. He himself partially agreed with the advocates ot both. Check the demand and the supply will cease. That was the object of these meetings. Nevertheless, though a man might be personally strong, he had no ht to tempt or set 4 rnicious example fon his weaker brother. ere, therefore, the law” might step in and close the rum shop altogether, though jt should infringe on the rights of the moderate drink! to his beveraye. He himself abstained for two rea- sons—tirst, because, though strong, he was liable to fall, as greater men had fallen; secoud, because he believed in the force of example. Atter all, forma- tion was better than reformation, and the great point was to educate the rising generation to total absti- nenee. Brother Evans followed in s vigorous and enthusi- astic speech. He dvplored the necessity of having to take up a five cent collection at the door, hoped the temperance men would, by their liberality, enable them to dispense with it. At this point a gentleman in the audience arose and announced that r , @atranger in the city, would be one of thirty to ribe $1 each to the sum neces- sary to hire the building for next Sunday. Her ex- ample was contagious and a spirit of emulation was awakened. Brother Evans leaped into the auditorium and the result was $23 cash. An enthusiastic brother then contributed the balance. A number of signors were obtained to the pledon one ot whom, Mr. Matthews, an Irishman, aspirited and charac- teristic haranguo by way of sigualizing his new born geal in the cause. The ‘Do: ” was sung aud the meeting dispersed. % HOME FOR INTEMPERATE MEN. A service to promote the objects of the New York Christian Home for Intemperate Men, locuted at No. 48 Last Seventy-eighth street, was held last evening in Calvary Baptist Church, Twenty-third street, bo- tween Fifth and Sixth avenues, The audience was large. Kev. Dr. MacArthur, pastor of the church, opened the exercises with prayer and the reading of Seripture, and then announced the purpose of the service, which, he said, would be presided over by Mr. William E, Dodge. Mr. Dodge thon made some introductory remarks, in which he referred to the need there is of sdéme place where intemperate men can be aflectionately cared for in their efforts to re- deem themselves. Even within the past forty-cight hours be had received letters from two young men asking for help to return to their carly associations. Mr. Charles A. Bunting, resident manager of the Home was next introduced, and gave a brief history of the work done by that institution since it was oe tablished. Its object, he said, wae not to cure drunk- ards by medical treatment, but to impress upon them that the true cure lay in the eneration of tho soul by the spirit of God, inee Home wus opened June 7, 1877, until Novem- ber, 1878, the number of inmates re- ceived wes 221, disinissed for cause, 29, and of the remaining 192, 187 professed to be conve! while, so far as could be ascertained, 150 remain stendfast in their profession. ‘The number of in- mates who obtained situations was 168, The average time of stay in the Home was 34% di Since No- vember last 71 men had been received, and of these 31 had got situations. ‘Lhe speaker then announced that a number of those men who had been reformed in the institution were prevent, and some of them, though reluctant to appear in public, would teil their experiences in the interest of the cause, Three gentiomen then told their stories, giving a brict account of how they had fallen into intemperate habits aud how they had Deen saved by Christian itttlaences, A collection was taken up at the clos of the service, RIDDEN ON A RAIL, ‘The better part of the community at Baiting Hol- low, Long Island, aro highly incensed at un outrage perpetrated on Professor Brewster Saxton, the mai who, while teaching school at Northville, was mado erazy by @ religious revival, He went to Baiting Hollow from Riverhead to lecture, and rome of the young men of that place, having been divs irom reposting tho tar aud feather opetation which brought Huntington into lasting dis- selves Rrace, contented them with riding the unfortunate man on a rail, acco! to the statement made by Deputy Sheriff Boltes. Saturday Mr. Saxton ny mplaint with the magistrate at Sepehess, Sot ciorward sone oe his triends ey him to his ho: it Swan River, m Patchogue. is said that be oe severe bodily injuries from the wicked way in which he was EVANGELISM IN ITALY. LECTURE BY SIGNOR ANTONIO ARRIGHI ON THE ITALIAN FREE CHURCH. In response to an invitation signed by a number of gentlemen interested in the spread of evangelistic religion, Rev. Antonio Arrighi lectured last evening, at the Broadway Tabernacle, on the spread of the “Free Christian Church of Italy.” Rey. Dr, Taylor introduced the lecturer with a few remarks as to the interest that ought to be felt in this country con- cerning the country of Columbus ana Vespucci. In. commencing his lecture Mr. Arrighi said he wished to correct @ mistake that prevails con- cerning the different evangelistic agencies in Italy. An idea has gained prevalence, he said, that the dif- ferent sects that lubor to spread God's word are quarrelling in Italy; but this ts ‘not the case. No ecclesiastical differences exist, but some slight per- sonal ones between members of the Waldensian sect aud the Free Church. Even these are now happily settled. All the preachors work in harmony, but he thought the audience would coincide with him when he said that the “Free Church,” built up, organized, verned and spread among the people , native Ttalinns, had a much better ance of success than an; foreign mission, however excell This Chure! ‘was, in its very foundation, iden with some of those principles that the Itslian people hold dearest— numely, the unity and independence of their coun- try. Among the Carbonari, those noble patriots who did so wuch for the realization of these principles, were*certain men who added to their patriotism a sincere and dedp religious belief, and who thought the redemption of the nation could. not be effected util a com religious reformation were made. Giuseppe ini tormuulated this prop- onition in a speech long before the door was open for the reform movement tocome in. Cavour took up the idea, Garibaldi fought for it and Gavazzi preached it and spread it among the people. “A free church in a tree state’ was the dream of these early patriots, und when ‘Mazzini - became pres- ident of a Roman republic Gavazzi laid aside his priestly vestments and offered Christ to the people. Austrian arms, however, speedily overthrew the young State, aud Gavazzi had to flee to Awerica, where he studied the evangelistic churches and tormed a definite plan to be offered in the future to his compatriots. ‘The opportunity soon came. |. Victor Emmanuel, triumphant at Solterino and Ma- genta, proclaimed on the tield of battle religious free- jom and toleration to the whole nation, THE WORK PROGRESSING. At aconvention held in Fiorence in 1870 Gavazzi presented a code of doctrine and 2 plan of govern- ment which were unanimously adoptod. new congregation catled itselt the “Free Christian Church of Italy,” and at once commenced an earne®t search for converts. It now possesses twenty-sewen estab- lishments in various cities. Ninety preachers sow seed, and it ia just by the Vatican, where sixteen theological students are preparing for the ministry. The members of the new sect, said the lecturer in conclusion, are rapidly increasing, aud various towns are yi mepee | to the governing council for teachers: ‘The King au Ques of Italy have*ulso expressed friendly senti- ment@ toward the reformers aud converts. Rev. OC. 8S. Robinson made a short address after the lecture, explajning that Mr. Arrighi was the agent of the Italian Church 1n this city for the collection of a sum of $6,000 needed for the spread of the new doc- trine. A collection was then tuken and the appeal ljberally responded to by the large audience. THE MELROSE BAPTISTS. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING AMONG RELIGIOUS FOLKS —HEARTBURNINGS BETWEEN A PASTOR AND HIS FLOCK CAUSED BY SUNDAY SCHOOL JEALOUSIES, Public attention was yesterday drawn to a scries of troubles in the Melrose Baptist Church, which have hitherto been kept private, by the free circulation of a small handbill. It read as follows:—“Owing to the trouble in the First Baptist Church of Mélrose, caused by the action of N x. B. Gibbs, the preacher, the Sunday school known as the Melrose Baptist Sunday School will meet until further notice in the church in 158th gtreet, near Elton avenue. Services will commence at half-past two P.M. Friends, scholars and the public are respectfully invited to attend.” A Henatp reporter visited the church in 158th street yesterday afternoon to learn whut troubles had been “caused by the action of . B. Gibbs” and what that action had been. The amount of information which he received was astounding, and was only limited by the time$which®he had at his disposal— Mr. Rowan, the treasurer, and a young man with heavy-rimmed eyeglasses’ talking with great fluency as long as he was abie to listen. Mr. Gibbs is an elderly man, not large, but erect and active, with # determined air and an appearances of contidenco in himself. It seems he was dissatisfied with the direction of the 8: school, and one day visited the school at the Gasieg of its scssion and snnounced to its officers bl g Lyn w to peceannine She school. He was asuaded from announcing proposed changes until the close of the day’s session, when he read from @ paper the names of the teachers whom he proposed to put in charge of the different classes in the school in the place of the ladies and gentlemen who had been teaching them. The classes ure named, after a fashion common in Sunday schools, one class being ‘The Roses of Sharon,” another being ‘Lilies of the Valley,” &c. THE FLOCK RKBEL. Neither the teachers nor the scholars were willing to submit to these changes; and when, on the follow- ing Sunday, Mr, Gibbs came to the school and at tempted to conduct its i pers nearly all, old and young, lett the building, under the lead of Dr. iott marched to auother church half a dozen Dlocksaway. A complication of difficulties ensued which it would be tiresome to enumerate, The Sunday school remains independent, and auother one is in the church, Four members of the original school have been expelled from the church, and twenty-nine have been suspended from chureh spabeskip ond declared under discipline, their alieged offences being absence from prayer meetings and failure to contribute toward church ex} » Dr. Elliott offered his resignation of tl office of Super- intendent, but was urged to withdraw it, consented to do so. A difference of opinion exists as to whether Mr. Gibbs’ salary is $400 or $1,000 a year, and much discussion has been horny # er . e church is in debt, owing, itis said, $700 or $800 to Mr. Gibbs among other debts, Foreclosure of mort- gages is expected, Technical points of church yov- ernment and the functions of comniittcés have led to arguments which might, Pg fairly be called wrangling. And to crown a scandal has arisen. It is w very mild scandal, One of the young lady teuchers in the Sunday school has been’ accused of flirting with the organist of the church, who is a married man. No graver accusation is made, but the young lady resented even this, and her father and friends sustain her while the pastor and his friends have been disposed to press the charges. This is the unhappy condition of affairs, but Mr. Gibbs yesterday positively refused to gay anything about the story so trecly told by Mr. Rowan and his young friend who wears heavy-rimmed eyeglasses. WANTED HIS BRIDE. AN ALLEGED BRITISH ARMY ‘OFFICER HAS HIB ALLEGED MOTHER-IN-LAW ARRESTED ON A CHARGE OF ABDUCTIUN, A tall man in # long ulster called on Justice Duffy yesterday and procured a warrant for the arrest of his alieyed mother-in-law, Subsequently he visited Inspector Thorne at the Central Office, and de manded that that oMcial should procure the arrest of the person mentioned in the warrant, The complainant stated that his wife had been abducted from Staten Island by her mother. Detective Wood took the warrant and proceeded to No. 63 West Twelfth street, where he took into cus- tody the alleged mother-in-law, « Mrs. Myers, and arraigned her before Inspector Thorne. She was very indignant at her arrest and said that her deughter had voluntarily visited New York, and that no coer- cion whatever hud been twed, Her explanations did not prove altogether end sho was taken as @ prisoner to Staten Inland. It appears that six weeks ago_& foreigner rented lodgings from Mrs. Walton, ut No. 63 West Twelfth street. Mrs. Walton, by the way, is the lady who re cently secured a patent for deadening the noise on the Metropolitan Klevated Railroad, The foreign gentloman was pousemsed of ponies manners and represented himvolf as tisk otlieer on furlough, Mra, kare ughter, Alles, boaned with Mra, Walton, became acquainted with the pleasant officer. Alice was an interesting girl in at spects. She waa, not to mention her youth good looks, a professional clairvoyant, and as euch had » well paying cliontage. She was extensively advertised as ‘‘® wouvertul child, Frees with second sight—telle everything without questioning.” + MARRIAGE OF THR “CHILD,’? At last the army officer proclaimed his deter- mination to make the inspired Alice his wife. They accordingly wore married two weeks ayo. ‘The happy couple determined to spend tae honeymoon on Staten id, Thither they repaired about two weeks ago, but were fol- Jowed by the vigilant Mrs, Myers, The mother-in- law wanted her Rens 0 wonderful child of nature’—and acco ingly it said, curried her away from the island, Hence the bridegroom's visit this city yesterday and its result, hor ALD, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1879. -TRIPLE SHEET. MARSHAL NEY. The Duke of Elchingen and Prince of Moskva. THE BRAVEST OF @HE BRAVE. <dosiesacosiiliens “Why Could I Not * France?” pe ey Die for DID HE DIE IN NORTH CAROLINA? Tunnerssura, Iredell County, N. ed Feb. 6. 1879, From time to time within the past few years there have appeared in print brief statements seeming to contradict the account given in history of the igno- minious death of Marshal Michel Ney, the leading hero of the Napoleonic era. History records as a fact thut Marshal Ney was publicly shot for treason. The beliet (which is general here) that he was not executed, but that he escaped to America and taught school in the then bgekwoods of Virginia and North Carolina and finally died in Rowan county, of this State, is based upon the rather mysterious history of a refined and cultivated Frenchman, who, in his sober moments, called himself Peter Stuart Noy. In order to thoroughly investigate this matter, and determine, if possible, if the history of that strange man can be identified with that of the renowned French soldier, a Hxnaxp representative has made @ pilgrimage to this region—the old tramp- ing ground of Peter Stuart Ney—and, having spent & week collecting facts bearing upon the subject and'in interviewing aged persons who knew him well, some of Whom were his pupils, will now give the results of his inquiries for what they are worth. HIsToRY. ‘ But first let me revert to history and incorporate here a synopsis of what has been accepted as the true record of the lifé and death of the great Marshal. Michel Ney was born January 10, 1769, in Sarre Louis, Lorraine, twenty-five miles northeast of Metz, now Prussian territory, He was of Scotch extraction on his mother’s side, her maiden name having been Stuart. His parents were in humble circumstances of life, At the age of eighteen Ney entered the army, in 1787, a8 @ hussar, and here began onc of the most brilliant military careers which history records, not excepting even that of the great head of the French army. He fought his way ftom the ranks to the grade of general of givision when only thirty years of age (1799), und at the ag’ of thirty-five he was made a marshal (1804). His many hairbreadth es- capes, his coolness in battle, his innate bravery, are matters of history, and it is not necessary to dwell upon them here. While a brigadier general he dis- tinguished himself at Dierdorf, Altenkirchen and Montabour. With 100 cavalry he took 2,000 prisoners and obtained possession of Wurzburg. At the battle of Neuweid he had command of the cavalry, and ina furious charge passed through the Austrianlines, Here he was wounded in the head, and becoming en- tangled under his horse (both having fallen), he was trampled over by retreating horsemen and was mangled in a manner which makes his escape from death a mystery. At Worms, Frankenthal, Frank- fort, Stuttgard and Zurich, he maintained the bright reputation he had gained, and, after rising to the rank of marshal, his career was even more brilliant. His services at Hohenlinden, at Elchingen, at Austerlitz, at Jena, at Magdeberg, bis campaign in Spain in 1809, his conduct at Friodland, at Borodino and at Moskva, his command of the rear guard dur- ing the famous retreat from Moscow, his victories at Lutzen, Bautzen and Dresden, hundreds of battles on the soil of France, and his charge at the head of the famous “Old Guard,” at Waterloo, all stamp him the greatest soldier of his age, and strengthen the verdict of that grand army of heroes who named him “the bravest of the brave.” 8 NEX’S SUPPOSED EXECUTION. After the abdication of Napoleon, Ney remained in Paris iy almost entire seclusion, finding companion- ship in books and in quiet dissipation. He gave in @ formal adhesion to the Bourbon dynasty, but after Bonaparte returned to France from Elba the “bravest of the brave” joined again his old master and followed his eagles until ‘the star of the empire forever set at Waterloo. The allies, after they as- sembled in Paris, demanded some victim to appease their anger. Ney was a prominent example, and he ‘was aécordingly arraigned before the Chamber of Peers, of which he was a member, on a charge of treason, pronounced guilty and (here comes the part which the people of this section, at least, believe be false, on the 7th day of December, 1815, was publicly shot in the garden of the Luxembourg, his last words being addressed to the platoon of sol- diers drawn up to do the bloody work, as follows:— “Fire, my comrades!" ire seys history, “entered him, and he The last assertion is the one which is now denied, and the object of this article is to show the grounds for that denial. C HIS HABITS, It is proper, however, first to revert to history, and mention some of the characteristics of Marshal Ney. It is to beregretted that his biographer is not more elaborate in regard to the old soldier's private life, his habits and his personal traits. It is admit- ted thut Marshal Ney was kiud aud gentle to a fault. There was a kind of magnetism about the man which drew to him the hearts of all who knew him. Indeed, Napoleon is quoted as follows:—"The love which the wen bear to Ney wins as many batties for him as does Lis ammunition.” He was fond of ‘books, Was @ mathematician of no mcan pretensions and an expert penman. While he was not’ a dissi- pated man he drank wine to excess, and sometimes Jost his equilibrium. Such, in brief, is a sketch of the public career ut Michel Ney, Marshal of France VRYER STUART NEY. I will now give a full description and history of the French i teacher, ‘Stuart Ney, as 0! from Key, Mr. Albea, an aged clergyman at Winston, N, ©.; Mr. Wiltred Turner, of this place, and dirs. Mary C. Dalton, of Eagle Mills, pear here, all of whom were pupils of this may, [also have letters frém vu- rious other persons who knew Mr. Ney well, from which 1 will subsequently gots. According to my intormation Peter Stuurt Ney landed at Charleston, 8. C., on the 2¥th of January, 1816, He lived m South Caroliua awhile, but moved to Virginia, im various parts of which State hoe resided until 1824, when he came to thiv (Iredall) county, aud was cn- by Colonel Francis ba | to teach the wuayes to his sons et the Oak Mill Academy. He continued to teach in this neighborhood at intervals until 1898, being able to secure a school whenever be wished, During most of this time he boarded with & BP. Huston, the father of Mra. Dalton, the Jady m whom most of the information upon which this sketeh is bused was obtained. He was & mau & Nttle under six fect in height, not very fleshy, but quite muscular, and weighed about two hundred pounds. His head was nearly bald and showed a scar on one side, which he said was a sword wound re® Geived in battle, and his face was slightly marked with smallpox. Mr. Ney was a good scholar, and possess- ing the rare faculty of easily imparting knowledge to the young, he was aa & Grst rate teac! ‘He was a spicudid mathematician and seemed to take Deer pride in working owt difficult lems. His undwriting (many specimens of which have been shown me by Mrs, Daltou) was sim; magnificent, abounding in all kinds of grand difficult flour- ishes. Mr. Ney was an expert fencer and taught his male pupils the art, and after school duties were over be would fence with them for hours, seeming —— re of the #} in i & teacher he was very trict wae Patrons as the best disciplinarian o1 day, but at the same time ho was very popular with his students, all of whom Fue of then, “would have fougait for. hins Sd died one an it for him and died for him had it been Reoweenty.? ‘He apent his leisure hours in and writing, and would occasionally furnish articles for the press. He took a uumber ot leading news: papers and read them iost attentively. It was his custom to sit up quite late at night, only sleeping from four to #ix hours in the twenty-four. ben tewtioned by bis rural friends in regard to this (to therm) strange habit he said he acquired it in camp while in the army, He was always reticont when with ati rs, and rarely, if ever, ke of his con- nection with the French srmy oven to his intimate friends, unless (as was often the case) the hinges of ‘hia tongue were loosened b; tre glass of wine or brandy, when his reserve would be thrown off, but even manifested no boastful disposition, merely speaking sometimes of the grand army and the part he had borne in ite campaigns. - ANOTHER VERSION OF THK EXECUTION. On one occasion when he had become very much intoxicated, he narrated to Colonel Thomas ¥. Hus- ton, a brother of Mrs, Dalton, all about the famous retreat from Mosouw amid the snows and across the Trivers upon ice; how the ice gave under Die men ant crowned maar a + hot per. Ashed from hunger’ and } how the Cossacks an | | Si awel orem a we upon his rear flank: his slaughtering those who trom ‘ , Ford, in’ Rowan, and was buried in.the stragg]4d away and lay down in the snow to die; how he murched on foot with his brave men ‘dually pay up the famous rear guard only a few hundred, and how Napoleon embraced him and culled him “the bravest of the brave,” At another time, when he was lying Ona bed under the influence of liquor, he mumbled to himself ¢ circumstances of his supposed execution. it was not true that he was executed, it was true, however, that he was sentenced and was taken ont to beshot, but the men who had been detailed to do the bleody work were of his old command, and they had been secretly told to “aim high.” He re fused to have his eyes bandaged and took his posi- tion in front of the platoon and gave the command te “Fire!” himself, ‘They fired above him, but he fell, and was pyonounced dead by the attendant physir cians, who were in the conspiracy, when his was turned over dvouce to his triends and secretly cons veyed to Bordeaux, from whence he sailed to Amer> landing at Charleston on the 20th of January, C@RROBO! ‘TESTIMONY, A fow years since Colonel Huston, who heard the above, met im the West, ebee he now lives, a Frenchman who related to him the following stra story :—Said the Frenchman, “I once belon; Marshal Ney'’s commana, and atter the fall of Napo- leon and capture of Ney {deserted the French army, spa. pabing. my way to Bordeane in December, , Shipped as a ‘ou board a vessel bor for bpp Ra) atvoral days out f pationka man on board w! ely aig struck me forcibly, and I thought I knew him. I tried for several A to mine who it could be, and at last flashed across ae that it was my old commander, Mars! Ney. 1 sought the first opporunity to satisfy myself, and the next time the mysterious personage came on deck I accosted him and told him I thought L knew him. He replied, ‘Whom do you thinkIlam? I said, ‘My old com. mander, Marshal “es Ina bint toue he re- sponded, ‘Marshal Ney was sho’ Paris, sir,’ and then, abruptly turning upon his heel, he went to his cabin and 1 saw him no more, though we were thirty-five days reaching Charleston.” This French- man’s name was Philip Petrie, and he was living two yas ago. If he is still living, which is ie, he ‘8 an inmate of the Soldiers’ Home either at Evans- ton, IL, Detroit, Mich., or Milwaukee, Wis, NBX'S SUPPOSED WRITINGS, Mr. Ney was a stonoyrapher and it is believed that the many letters which he wrote to France were penned in shorthand, Certain itis a large quantity of manuscript thus written was found w his effects when he died, most of which, unfortunately, has been lost without having been translated. had a large correspondence with persons in Franco, receiving many letters from there, all of which it ap- pears were renailed to him from vome point in New dersey, the name of which place my iuformanut hea forgotten. The following verse, written in Ney’s hand, was found among his effects :— Oblivion i#the common lot Of common men—the die forgot He who would live in memory warm Must do mueh good, or do much harm. Faas 1ifts her volge wlouy on igh For those who Mil the public eve; ‘Down in tho brief ephomeeal tide, Sinks every mamkin beside. Immediately beneath the above lines is follow. ing note, aso ue his bold handwriting is As written In a letter to J. E. Poollints, 8th’ May, 1823, from Abbeville, Va. VISNT OF A MYSTERIOUS ER, Mrs. Dalton has related to the H. representa- tive an account of’ the visit of # mysterious young man to her father's house, where Ney boarded. It was at a time when the house was with com- Perf aud every room was_ occupied, Near wilight a young mun rode up ‘to the & and hallooed. When Mr. Huston (Mra. wlton’s father) went out the young man asked the privilege of staying all night. Ho jwas told that the house being crowded he could not accommo- dated, but he insisted and said he was willing to sleep on the flog, aud that his horse tired and com- Jetely worn out he could not possibly proceed fur er. Mr. Huston then told him if he would suit him- self to circumstances he mightremain. The stranger thanked him and went in. When the stranger was conducted in to supper he took a seat at the table opposite a who was occupying his usual seat. ‘They glanced at each other, and though not a word was spoken, it was evident to resent that it was a glance of recognition. Immediately after tea these two, ‘taking their hats, left the house together and were not seen by atiy of the company any more that night. An old negro man, & servdnt of Mr. Huston, reported that he saw the two, near midnight, sitting behind a straw stack in a field, near the house, in close comversation, and though unobserved by them, he could hear them distinctiy, but could not undorstand a word they said. The stranger ordered his horse early the next morning and left. Mr. Ney remained in his room all that day reading and writing. HOW THE DEATH O¥ THE PRINCE IMPERIAL AFFECTED HM. Ney’s conduct when he heard of the death of Nw poleon’sson, the Duke of Reichstadt (June; 1832), was, to say the least of it, curious. He first received the pages rm through a private letter trom New Jer- Bey, WI was handed to him one afternoon dur- ing school hours. He read the letter and at once arose from his seat, ¢hrew the letter on the floor, stamped upon it, took other pay from his pocket, Sore Sheets , strode violently up and wn the floor and otherwise acted almost as a iaaiac, This conduct of course frightened the school children, and Mrs. Dalton, then « schoolgirl, weut to him and asked what wasthe matter. Piacing his right hand on his forenesd and gi: canc$ he suid in a dramatically mi “ “The Prince Imperial is dead and my hopes are blasted.” . He dismissed tke school, saying there would be no session until the following week. He then went to his r6om and destroyed a number days his conduct id com- mit suicide, begs bar later he wrote the follow- ing lines in Mrs. iton’s album, which I have been permitted to copy :— @ONK WITH TRE GLORIES, GONE” Though [of the chosen the choleest, ‘To {nme ave her loftiest tone; Thong I mong the Brave was the bravest, My plume and my baton are gone! y eagle that mouated to conquest “iat hooped from ity altitude high, prey to & vulture the foulest, \o nore to revisit the sky. , Ono sigh to the hopes that have perished, One teur to the wreck of the past, One look upon all L hove oberished, ‘One lingering look—'tis the last, And now from remembrance I banish ‘Tho glories whieh sboue in my train; Ob! vauish, fond momorivs, vanish; Return not to sting me again. May 26, 1835, P. 8. NEY. sid P. 8, NEY'S DEATH. Although previous to the death of Napoleon’s.son he frequently spoke of ret to France ho waa never after that event heard ress either inton- tion or desire to do so. alone as in 1938 and went to Rowan county, in dit it parts of which he taught school until his death in ‘. 1846, He at the residence of Mr, Osb y into var ‘aveyard near a country church culled Third Meeting House. A year or two alter his death some of his former iat hul erected at the head of his grave a neat le slab bearing this inseription:— ; b caunamreeseaterenge ooo ae eaaeg nnn 3 ol PETER 8. NEY, ; 3 ‘A French Mero,’ . Died October 14, 146, 3 Srectornnanie secovovcoveccoccoooeee’y Mr. Ford was appointed by the County Court ad- ministrator of Ney's estate. This was a mere matter - of form, as he was of no estate. In 1847 © an uuknown Frenchman visited: Mr, Ford and tried to get possession of the shorthand manuscript re- ferred to above, but Mr, Ford refused to give it up. He afterward, however, tarned it over tos man who called himself Pliny Myers, » member of the New York Historical Society, with the understuiding thut he (Myers) would have the documents trausiated and the mystery enveloped therein cleared up. Nothing more has ever been heard from it. It is not the pur- pose of your cor ndent to discuss the question which is here |. It is my business to merely give the tuets and let the reader draw his own con- clusiona; but ldeem it proper to incorporate here the language and opinions of rome of the persons with whom I have talked on the subject. VIEWS OF OLD PUPILS OF NEY. Mr. Wilfred Turner, an aged gentleman, than whom no man iu North Carolina Mente higher nor ie more respected, says:—"I went to school to Peter Stuart Ney in 1825 and ’26,and kuew him well. { have no doubt but that he was Marshal Ney. Certain it was, he was a sokdlier, and it was evident he was no ordi- nary soldier, but a man of rank and genius.” Rev. Mr. Alves, a hodist mint . iT ‘was one ot Ney’s pupils when he taught at Hill Academy, and remem! well, He was a noblo looking man and showed bis military trainmg in his every step and movement. He was ® yreat admirer of Napoleon ways of him ia terms ot the highest admiration; and = nd the time of the death gan stapes ho erial he ot! viene bo returning to France wi Bonaparte dynas' shoud be restored, which event Ne, auticlpeted would soon occur, He was not an ordinary man in any sense, and I do not hesitate to say, that in my opinion Le was none than the great Marshal of | the Empire,”” ‘Mra. At. C. Dalton, an aged lady of marked intelli+ gence and of wntisual information, says:—"Iam aa thoroughly convinced of the fact that he was Marshal Ney as L am of my own existence.” “Now assu ing,” says whe, “that ho was Marshal Ney, he give expression to the di tment of his heart in more forcible and poiute guage than is con- those verses, written my album he heard of the death of Na- (Recorded above.) “I sew him continues = Mrs. ton, “when he ‘This aroused him, and well remember, was, of Elchingen on # horse like a ‘R. B. Adams, of this county, saye:—T have Cy watished i wn mind since 1342 been entirely in my o wot wind dred yards of my tor two years or morol ana ee ee ig Creek churchyard, was rahal Ne; Mr. O. G. Fi wi if houe Ney died, believes he was the great and none other. He saya when X Rl his eathbd he agvera tne, ta site jum, exclaimed, “Oh, France! Franc Could Tot, like Wosslores, die for my country; why His last words were those:—'Bossiéros bas fallen, eae ieee mm be Marshal Soy!