THE HERALD. - " 1 - PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY AT FLATTSMOTJTH, NEBBASKA. OFPIOKi On Main Street, between 4th and 5th, Second Story. OFFICIAL PAPER OF CASS fOHiTY. Terms, in Advance: One copy, one year ". $2.00 One copy, six mouths 1.00 On copy, three mouth 50 MRA JD. J. A. MACMURPHY, Editor. PEUSEYERAXCE COXQUERS.' TERMS : $2.00 a Year. VOLUME IX. PLATTSMQUTII, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1874. NUMBER l(. THE .HERALD. ADVKRTISIXM IIATEM. 1 w. is w. !;i w. ! 1 m. a tu.' m. 1 ritiare.. 9 siiareH 3 squares. i column. J$ column. 1 column. l 0(1 1 Mfi m f i Ml f 00 f H00 00 1 W) 'i 0 1 7.V 3 S.Y 50 10 Mil 1 Ot) x (ki t r! t iki 4 7r. j h in i t no! 20 01 5 Oil M (Nl 10 (Ml 12 (Ml 20 Oil 1H 0tl J!' (0 H on U (hi, n oo ih (m an (Ki 40 on! i oo 1!) (Ml IS IMI-.il (10 (Ml tO (Ml Ml (Ml II) IM1 t?? AH Advertising Mil duo quarterly, fif" Transieut advertisements must bo paid for iu advance. Extra copies of the II niiAi.u fur tale by II. J. Rfreipht, at tlie 1'nstotiiee, and O. V. Julirinon, cor ner of iUlu and Fifth streets. EPITOME OF THE WEEK. Coaiec'tl from Telegrams of Accompanying Bates. Monday, February 2. A dispatch re ccivcd in London from Cape Coast Castle states that twelve ambassadors from the Ash antees had arrived in the British camp suing for peace. Hir (iarnet Wobeley replied that lie would only treat with the King himself at Coomassie The Locdon Timr states that previous to the dissolution or raruamem notice or a writ was served on Gladstone summoning bim before the Court of Queen's Bench for not standing for re-election A large meeting of prom inent iron and nail manufacturers was recently held in Pittsburgh, at which the selling rates for nails were advanced 12 cents per keg. . A recent fire in Cleveland destroyed over f.00,000 woith of property, on which there was an insurance, of aliout ?4.0,000, . In the ease of llaffcrty, three times con demned to death for the murder of a Chicago policeman, the Illinois Supreme Court has refused to grant a new trial, sustained the . decision of the court below, and ordered that the execution take place at Waukcgan ou the 27th of February, tit of the stveu Judges concurred in this decision A bill has been introduced in th Ohio House of IJepresentativcs providing that in case railway companies discriminate iii rates for transporting freights in localities, said company shall forfeit to such person so overcharged double the amount of the over charge, and in no ea-e le-s than $100, and pro viding that an additional t uit can be brought by the prosecuting attorney, and the amount to It forfeited iu this suit is to be from $100 to ?l,0O0; also, th:d in eaec railway companies charge higher than the legal rate for the trans porlation of passengers, the company shall forfeit double the amount of the overcharge, and in no case less than $ 100 As the morn ing train from ISt. Louis on the 31st uit., on the Iron Mountain Kail road, approached Cad's Hill Station, Mo., it was signaled to stop. A switch was turned, and the train run ou a side-track. Five masked men, heavily armed, then took charge of the railway officials, and the passengers were rob bed of all articles of value iu their possession. The mails were robbed, and about $1,000 were taken from the safe of the express messenger. The robbers left in a southerly direction A Xew Orleans tele gram says Governor Kellogg pronounces as entirely untrue the report telegraphed from that city by a special correspondent, to the effect that he (Kellogg) had made a requisi tion on the authorities of the District of Columbia for ex-Governor Warmoth. Ti Ksn.VY, February 3. There were fifty six Parliamentary elections in England during the week ending Jan. 31st, resulting iu the return of twenty-five Liberals and thirty-one Conservatives. On the 2d twenty-six Con servatives and thirteen Liberals were elected. There has been considerable rioting in various parts of the Kingdom, partteulaily in Sheffield. . ...The lloor of a factory in Bury, Lanca shire, w here a Liberal meeting was being held, gavt way on the 2d, and precipitated a large number of people to the story lelow. Six persons were killed and a large number injured A Madrid dispatch says that Spain has recalled her diplomatic representatives from Berlin and other European capitals . It is said that one hundred employes of the New York it Oswego Kailroad have chained tlw locomotives to the track, spiked switches, and torn up the track at Summitville. They declare they will allow no more trains to pass ti'.l the railway company has paid wages already due . An aggravated case of trichina - spiralis has oceurred at Aurora, Ind., resulting in the seri ous illness of Mrs. Threnart, her son and daughter, and Mrs. Buyter. A Cincinnati dispatch says that these will probably die. The meat of the diseased hog under the mi croscope looked like knots and coils of the common earth-worm, with very sharp or pointed extremities; and a speck of the flesh not larger than the head of a small pin con tained millions of the maggots, wriggling and twisting about, although totally invisi ble to the naked eje. They had sur vived the process of curing and cooking. . . . .TheKansas Legislature elected ex-Governor James M. Harvey to succeed Mr. Caldwell in the l-nited States Senate. Mr. H. is a Keforni Ucpublican, and is reported to have said, ia response to a question as to whether he considered his election a victory for the straight Republicans or for the Re formers, that he regarded it unquestionably iu favor of the latter. The final ballot on which Mr. Harvey was elected stood: Harvey, T."; l'luiub, 20; Simous, IS; all others, 21. "Wednesday, February 4. A special cable dispatch siys Russia refuses to send goods to the Centennial Exhibition in Phila delphia, in lSTfi, on the gTound that it is a private affair Archbishop Ledochowski has been arrested by order of the German Govern ment and sent to Ostrowo, in the province of Posen, there to be imprisoned, in accordance with the sentence of the court. His offense consists in hiving, in the first place, refused to pay any heed to the laws passed last May placing the ecclesiastics of Germany under the regulation of the State. This disobedience subjected him to fine, and his refusal to pay the fine brought upon him the confisca tion of all his property except his household goods. In all these proceedings he was upheld by the Pope, whom alone he recognized as his superior. Finally the summons came for his resignation of th Archbishopric and this he, st'.ll acting under the orders of his Papal chief, also declined to give ...Gladstone has been re-elected to Parliament from Green wich. His vote this year is 5,9tS, against fi,tVS0 ia ISO. Further riotous proceedings are reported in different localities Thepres- ent State officers of Connecticut have been unanimously renominated by the Democratic State Convention held at New Haven. The platform adopted declares devotion to the Constitution; affirms that the people of the several States have the right of governing themselves, subject only to the limitations of the Constitution; denounces corruption and extravagance in high official places; favors retrenchment and reform in Na tional and State governments; condemns the 'salary grabbers' ring of politicians" and land monopolists; denounces the present fed eral administration and "the procuring of money from the notoriously corrupt ring of Washington politicians for the purpose of controlling elections in the State of Connecti cut;" charges the panic and its results to the policy .pursued by the Government; demands speedy return to specie payments; condemns land grants and monopolies; favors legislation beneficial to the industrial classes, etc., ete. . . . Some of the members of the Massachusetts Tempcrauce Alliance have organized a praying band of men and women to storm the saloons of Worcester. Iu Ohio the movement con tinues to spread, and is being inaugurated in other States. In very many Ohio towns the women have formed themselves into bands, with Captains, and begun a systematic attack of prayer on all the rum dealers within their reach The strike ou the New York and Os wego Midland Railway for several months' back pay continues. The locomotives, with tenders and mails only, are allowed to proceed. A car loaded with flour has ten broken open at Summitville, and the contents distributed to those needing it. The telegraph office has been taken possession of, and no telegrams are allowed to paes A Topeka (Kansas) special says the election of ex-Governor Harvey as United States Senator is a Republican victory.... The Mississippi Legis lature has elected as United States Senators B. L. Bruce (colored) for the long term, and II. R. Pease, late Superintendent of Education, for the short term both Republicans. TncKSDAY, February 5. A special from Berlin says alarming reports are current there concerning the relations between Germany and France A recent cable dispatch announces the death of Professor Anderson, the well known conjurer.... The dwelling of Isaac Wharff, of Guilford, Me., was destroyed by fire a few mornings ago, and w iiarfr and his wire and hoy were burned to death.... The annual convention of the National Reform Association is in session at Pittsburgh. A large delegation is in at tendance, embracing representatives from almost every State in the Union and of all the evangelical denominations. Hon. Felix R. Brunot has been re-elected President, with a full list of Vice-Presidents... The seventh annual session of the National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry con vened in St. Louis on the 4th. The session was held with closed doors, and all that is known of the proceedings is a brief report furnished by the Committee on Publication. Several committees were appointed. The Master of the National Grange, D. W. Adams, read a lengthy address, in which he detailed the operations of the order during the past year. Reports were made by the Secretary, Treas urer, Lecturer, ana executive Committee, which were referred to appropriate committees. The following are the ofOccrs of the National Grange: Master, Dudley W. Adams, Iowa; Overseer, Thomas Taylor, South Carolina; Lecturer, T. A. Thompson, Minnesota; Stew ard, A. J. Vaughan, Mississippi; Assistant Steward, G. W. Thompson, New Jersey; Chaplain, Rev. A. B. Grash, Washington City; Treasurer, F. M. McDowell, New York; Secre tary, O. H. Kelly, Washington City; Gate keeper, O. Dinwiddie, Indiana; Ceres, Mrs. D. W. Adams, Iowa; Pomona, Mrs. O. II. Kelly, Washington; Flora, Mrs. J. C. Abbott, Iowa; Lady Assistant Steward, Miss C. A. Hall, Washington City; Executive Committee, William Saunders, Washington City; D. Aiken, South Carolina; E. B. Shankland, Iowa A discharged fireman 6et fire to the machine shops of the Memphis it Louisville Railroad, at Memphis, a few nights ago, and $110,000 worth of the property of the road was destroy ed, and two hundred workmen were thrown out of employment. Friday, February 6. A Calcutta dis patch eays the famine in India is increasing, and it is estimated that 1"0,000 natives are al ready severely distressed At the recent opening of the German Reichstag, the speech from the throne, delivered by the Imperial Commissioner, concludes with the assur ance that all the nations of Europe are re solved to preserve peace Several more riots are reported at the elections in Great Britain. At Willenhall several persons were fatally injured. At Handy one man was killed and many others were wound ed. At Askeaton, Limerick County, Ireland, firearms were freely used, and three men were killed- Serious disturbances have also occur red in other localities A dispatch has been received in London from the commander of the Ashantee expedition, announc ing that all the white prisoners held by the Ashantees have been delivered to urn, and that the King has accepted his terms for a cessation of hostilities, and has agreed to pay an indemnity of 200,000 The Rus sian Minister at Washington has authorized a contradiction of the report that Russia has re fused to send goods to the Centennial Exposition on the ground that it is private undertaking. The Russian Government never intimated or ex press, d any sucn indention.... rnysiciaus who went to North Carolina for the bodies of the Siamese Twins have returned to Philadel phia. The bodies were in a good state of preservation. The examination will be con ducted by the College of Physicians privately, but a report will be furnished to the public. ...A Mrs. Hoag, of the town of Porter, W is., attempted to extinguish a kerosene lamp by blowing down the chimney. An explosion followed, and she was fatally burned Ac cording to a report made by Special Agent M. B. Robinson to the Commissioner of the Gen- ral Land Office at Washington, large quantities of the public land in Colorado have been fraudulently pre-empted.... The National Grange, in session at St. Louis, has appropriated3,0C0to the State Grange of Iowa, in consideration of the great expense incurred by that Grange in relieving the wants of distressed brethren in Northwestern Iowa. Appropriations of $1,000 to Minnesota and ?50 to Dakota were also made The gro cery store and dwelling of Chris. Mehr, in Evansville, Ind., was burned on the morning of the 5th, and four of the inmates perished in the flames. There were, when the fire broke out, about ten persons in the house, including Mr. Mehr, his wife and six children. Mrs. Mehr seized two of the children and rushed through the flames, and a boarder seized another of the children. Mr. Mehr rushefl out, and, seeing that some of the children were missing, again ran into the house and was not again seen alive. When found he clasped in his arms the three children who had been left behind, the four bodies being burned almost to a crisp. Most of the other inmates were more or less burned. .. .On the morning of the 5th the Green Bay night ex press train, about twenty miles north of the Kishawaukee bridge, near Harvard, 111., struck a broken rail, throwing three passen ger coaches, a Pullman sleeper, a baggage car and a second-class car into the ditch twenty feet below. The stove in the baggngc ear was overt urned and set fire to the car, and, as there was no means of extinguishing the flames, the entire train and contents were con sumed. Forty persons were more or less in jured, but no lives were lost, the passengers escaping from the burning ears by means of the wiudows. Saturday, February 7. Gen. Sickles has taken final leave of the Spanish Govern ment, and placed Secretary Adee in charge of the legation M. Buffet has been re-elected President of the French Assembly. .. .By a recent collision between two trains on the Great Western Railway in England several persons were killed and others injured. ...A London telegram gives a report that Glad stone, being assured of a majority in Par liament against him, has sent in his resig nation to the Queen.... In the Na tional Grange at St. Louis a re port was received from Secretary Cof fey, of the State Grange of Missouri, stating that there are 1,000 subordinate Granges in' the State. Several amendments to the Na tional Constitution were proposed. Charles ton, S. C, was unanimously chosen as the next place of ineetirg. Several standing committees were appointed. Mr. Thompson, a representative from Canada, reported that they had ten live Granges in the Dominion, some numbering over 100 members each; that they wanted to establish a Dominion Grange, so as to have under their control a fixed head quarters, and their most earnest desire was to see the organization become international in character FORTY-THIRD CONURESS. Mo'dat, February 2 Senate. The House bill changing the time of meeting of the United States District Court ia Iowa was passed, with an amendment fixing the time of meeting at Council Bluffs on the fourth Mondays in March and September of each year, instead of the third Tuesday of those months.. ..Mr. Morton con cluded his remarks on Louisiana affairs. Tie re viewed the argument of the Senator from Wiscon sin (Carpenter), and contended that the Kellogg Government was the legal government of the Mate, the President and the other House of Con press having recosrnized it. The recognition of that government by the President was in pur suance of law. The proposition to set aside the State Government of Louisiana and order a new election was one of the gravest character. It could not be done without setting aside a portion of the Constitution of Louisiana. If Congress should order a new election nor, the Constitution of Louisiana would require another one for members of the Lcrrislatnre next N'overa ber. After Mr. Morion concluded the debate was further participated in by Messrs. Frehnahuysen, Carnentcr and Stewart The House Joint resolu tion for a special conrt of inquiry In the case of General O O. Howard was adopted, witn a vernal amendment The Bankruptcy bill was taken up and considered. ...Adjourned. House. Several bills -were introduced, among which were to amend the Bankrupt law; for a board of army officers as Indian Peace Com missioners; prohibiting Territorial Legislatures from authorizing towns or counties to issue bonds in aid of railways. ...After more discnsslon a joint resolution was adopted providing for the appointment of a Select Committee to investigate the affairs of the District of Columbia Government. The Speaker ap ix)inted as such committee Messrs. Wilson, of In diana; llalc. of New York; Hnhbell, of Michigan Clvmcr. of Pennsylvania, and JewetU of Ohio. Articles of impeachment airalnst Kiehard Busteed, United States Judire of Alabama, were presented. ordered printed, and referred to the Judiciary Committee. ...A b.U was passed providing that medals, with appropriate devices, em blems and inscriptions, shall be prepared at the l'hlladelnliia mint to comniemo rate the one hundredth anniversary of the meeting of the Continental Coneress and of the Declara tion of Independence K joiut resolution was adopted providing that in all cases under the Civil Service examinations for Government posi tions, when a disabled soldier, his wife or the widow of a soldier who died of wounds or disabil ity contracted in the service shall pass examina tion at the required standard fixed by rnles, such person shall have precedence to appointments Adjourned. Tuesday, February 3. Senate. A peti tion of the colored citizens of Atlanta and a resoltt tion of the Georgia Legislature were presented de nying the statement in A. H. Stephens' speech that the colored people of Georgia did not desire the passage or tne civil Rights bill A resolution of the Grand Army of the Rrpublic was presented askiug an equalization of bounties The bill providing for ihe arming and equipping of the whole body of the militia of the United States was reported unfavorably from the CommiKee on Military Af fairs.... A monjr the bills introduced were the fol lowing: For the redemption and reissue of L nitcd States legal tenders and National Bank notes, and for free banking; to establish a Bureau of Health at Washington, under the direction of the Interior Department The Bankrnpt bill was further con sidered, and several amendments were disposed or. ..Adjourned. ITmiAti. A bill was nassed Tjroviuinff that the law which limits contracts in the Postofflce Department to one year shall net apply to mail locks and kevs. mail bags, stamped envelopes, postal cards, or newspaper wrappers.... The Army Appropriation bill was considered in Com mittee of the W hole, and au amendment was asrreed to providing that no money appropriat ed by it should be paid for recruiting the army be yond sTlUOJ enlisted men. . . .A resolution was re ported from the Election Committee to the effect that uodL'es. or Arkansas, nau a prima jucit ngui to the seat. . . .Adjourned. Wednesday, February 4. Senate. A resolution was introduced and referred providing for the payment to Ray and McMillan, of Louis iana, of their full comnensation as Senators of the United states from the time they were elected to March 3, 187a The hill to secure the equalizauon of national bank circulation was taken up and de bated Consideration of the Bankrnpt bill was resumed and amendments were debated.... Ad journed. Ilouxe. The resolution declaring that Asa Hodcres is entitled, vrima facie, lo a seat as a Representative from Arkansas was adopted, and Mr. H. too'K the modified oath as a member from the First District.... The Army Appropriation bill was taken no in Committee of the Whole, and amendments were adopted providing that only actual traveling expenses, never to exceed ten cents per mile, shall be allowed to any person whatever in the service of the United States, and declaring llleeal all allowances for mileage and transportation in excess of the amount actually paid, and that no part of the money appropriated by this act shall be paid to any railway company for the trans portation of any property or troops of the United States over any railway which in whole or in part was constructed bvaidor the grantor puhiic lands on the condition that such railway should be a public highway for the nee of the Govern ment of the United Slates, free of toll or other charge for snch transportation, nor shall any allowance be made out of any money appro priated by this act tor tne transporiauon nf nfficrra of the army over any such road when on duty and under orders as military ofli- cere of the United States Messrs. E H. Roberts (N. Y.) and Hamilton (N. Y.) were announced by the Sneaker as members of the Joint Select Com miltee on the Affairs of the District of Columbia, in Dlace of Clymer(Pa.) and Hale (. l .), ex cused An eveninar session was held for the con sideration of the bill to revise and consolidate the statutes. . Thursday, February 5. Senate. The House joint resolution authorizing the appointment of a Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives to investigate the government of the District of Columbia was passed, and the Chair subsequently appointed as the Senate members of such committee Messrs. Coukling. Bonlwell and Thurman....A bill was introduced by Mr. Carpenter "to restore the rights of the State of Louisiana." The bill to facilitate the execu tion of and to protect certain public works of im provement at the mouth of the Mississippi River was taken np and passed yeas 86, nays s. . . .The Bankrupt bill was taken up, and an amendment limiting the operations of the 39th section, as amended and reported by the committee, to persons owing $3,000 and over was lost veas 20, uavs -HH. An amendment was offered and debated. providing that persons who have stopped or sus pended and not resumed paymem oi int ir coiumer cial paper shall not be deemed as having com mitted an act of bankruptcy until after the expira tion of ninety davs, instead of forty, as in the original bill.... Adjourned. House. Kills were passed concerning practice in the Territorial courts, and appeals therefrom ; to amend the act of March 3, 1ST3, to encourage the growth of timber on the Western prairies.... The bill to incorporate the Colorado Canal Irrigation and Land Company was reported adversely from the Committee on Public Lands, and laid on the table The Army Appropriation mil was iuriuer consiuercu in ioiumiuee ui ine Whole.... 1 be bill to revise the statutes was con sidered at the evening session. Fridvy, February C. Senate. Bills were passed in relation to bounties,providing that ail who enlisted in the army under the proclama tion of May 3, and previous to August, 1861. be paid a bounty of $100, providing the same has not already been paid; Home bill amendaiory of an act to provide for the removal of Flathead and oi her Indians iu Montana Territory. ...A bill was in troduced and referred pioviding that all lands granted to railroad companies shall be subjected to State and county tamion....Tbe Bankrupt bill was taken up and several amendments were disposed of, among those igreed to being one fix ing the time at forty dayswithin which any bank er, broker, merchant, tradesman, manufacturer, or miner who nas sioppa or suspended and not resumed paymeit of his commercial paper sbull not be deemed bankrupt.. The Chair annoanced asa member of the Com mittee to Investigate inh the Management of the District of Columbia tJovrnmeut.Mr. Morrill (Me.). in place of Mr. Conkunt Mr. Morrill rennewie.l to be, and was subsequatly, excused from serving on such committee.... iajoumed. Ilotme. A numbeiof private bills were reported and acted npoi, after which the nouse adjourned, the session on he 7th to be for general debate. Public Deb Statement. tie public debt statement THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT. Women's Whisky War Kelentleaaly Prosecuted Unrond it tonal Surrender of Mr. Van Pelt, the "Wltkcdttt Man In Ohio" lie Empties His Stork In Trade Into the Street, anil Forthwith Joint the Praying "Band" A Funny IuriUent The Lurilis Beat a Most Inglorious Retreat. The Temperance Revival started some weeks ago in Greenfield, Ohio, has spread to many other towns and villages. The success which has so far attended this campaign is really wonderful. In some towns every saloon and groggery has capitulated, and in all the number has been greatly reduced. Those who still hold out are having their profits greatly reduced, and are fast losing their cus tomers. Influenced by the results, praying bands have been started in Massachusetts, New York, Illinois and Iudiana, and perhaps other States. The reports from some points are very in teresting. In the town of Vienna the effort of the piaving women had resulted in the closing of all the saloons except that of Mr. Van Pelt, who was forthwith dubbed the wickedest man in Ohio. He said he would never give up the traffic, but on the 4th of February he capitulated. On that day he sent a printed circular to the citizens of Vienna, iucludiug the ladies who had persecuted him with their pravers and entreaties, inviting them to assemble iu front of his place of busi uess at two p. m. At that hour, the church bells w ere rung, and iu a few minutes an im mense crowd was assembled iu front of the saloon where so many prayers had beeu offered. After singing and prayer by the ladies, Van Pelt came to the door and said he was ready to give up his entire stock iu trade for the good of the cause of Temperance. Jn a few words, full of emotion, he expressed his determina tion to make a full surrender, not because of law or of force, but he said he yielded to the simple labors of love ou the part of the women, He then rolled out two barrels and one keg filled with whisky, and, taking an ax, knocked the heads out of the barrels aud the bung out of the keg and emptied their contents into the gutter. Then followed prayer and thanksgiv inz. Iu the evening a temperance meeting w as held, in which Van Pelt took part. In Washington, Fuyette County, the saloons are all closed, and all the druggists have agreed to sell only upon the prescription of a physician, except one. He has utterly re fused to capitulate, and 60 the women, as they were refused entrance into his store and the weather was so inclement that they could not conduct their services in the open air, caused o be erected a wooden and canvas structure, where they prayed and sang until the thing became a nuisance to the druggist. He commenced a suit against the ladies, and secured an injunction forbidding the continu ance of the prayers and entreaties in front of his place of business, and directing the re moval of the structure. So he is only an ob ject of prayerful attention outside his own premises for the present. In some of the saloons very funny incidents occur in spite of the solemn surroundings. The ladies visited the saloon of a burly Ger man, who was determined that be would 6tand no more of what he denominated the praying nuisance, so ne roiiea a Keg oi Deer into tne middle of the praying circle and started the bung. The beer flew over the crowd and filled their eyes and cars, rendered their feathers limp and their silks nasty, and they were glad to beat a hasty retreat, feeling very moist and uncomfortable. Gad's Hill, a little platform station on the prairies, one hundred and twenty miles from St. Louis, a little before five o'clock in the afternoon. The train consisted of the mail car, two coaches and a sleeping car, and had on board about twenty-five passengers, bound for Little Rock, Hot Springs, aud other places in Arkansas. On neariug the place the con ductor discovered several people on the plat form, and one of them waved a red flag. This is a signal of danger ahead, and is so under stood by all railroad men. The train slacked np, and the switch was so turned that the train wa3 run upon a side track, while the switch at the other end was also turned so that the train was cut off from all connection with the main track. This gave those on board the train a chance to look about them and take in the exact condition of things. A number of persons were on the platform under guard, and it was soon as certained that all the residents of the place, including the little boys and girls, had beeu captured. It seemed that the place was in possession of five desperadoes, armed with revolvers and double-barreled shot-guns. As soon as possible the conductor jumped from the train, and a man thoroughly masked advanced and stuck a pistol in his face aud Ehouted. "Stand still, or I'll blow the top of your head off." Atthe same time he yelled out, "If a 6hot is fired out of the car, I will kill the couductor." The eugiueer, fireman aud con ductor were placed upon the platform and told .to stand still or they would be shot. Then the express messenger and the mail agent were placed there, the whole being guarded by a ruffian who stood over them with a double barreled shot-guu. Two of the robbers then vvcut through the express safe, and then the registered letters were overhauled, aud everything of value iu both taken. They then started through the train and sj-stcmatie- ally iobbed the passengers. The amouut of money thns obtaiued was something over $3,000, besides several watches, pistols and overcoats. The baggage of the passengers was not disturbed. After they had finished they told the couductor that he could go on with his train. They then strolled off to their horses, and before the train got fairly under way were seen leisurely trotting their horses southward. One of them, wheu robbiug the express messenger, entered on the book, "Robbed at Gad's Hill," and remarked that he had made a similar eutry in an express book before. It was evident that they were used to the business. The question that in terests people who travel in that section of the couutry is, "How long is that sort of 'business' to be allowed to continue?" vailed of that simple knowledge which should have existed on this subject such a thing would have been impossible, no matter what the political exigencies or arrangements were. 2opular Science Monthly. The Wonders of Astronomy m IlliiS' trated in the Star lK-ptlis. THE 5IAUKETS. The following is February 1 : Six per cent, bonds Five per cent. A BROKEN RAIL. Train Ur.(ktil on the Northwestern IltlroBt-Mi Cars Thrown Oft an Kmbonkmoit and Burned Forty Person Seriously Injured, hut Xo Lives Lost Total Destruction ot Their Baggage. On the morning of the 5th of February the Green Bay night express, due in Chicago at 6:45 a. m., came thundering along at the rate of forty miles an hour, and had reached a steep embankment a few rods west of Kish waukee Creek, between Harvard and Wood stock, Illinois, when the engine struck a broken rail. The locomotive and tender, followed by the mail and express car, passed the point in safety, but the baggage car was thrown from the track, and was followed by a second- class car, three passenger coaches and a Pull man sleeper, and before it was possible for any one of the passengers to realize what had oc curred, the whole were tumbling pell-mell down the precipitous steep, and only came to a full stop when they reached the bottom, which was fully thirty feet below the main track. Almost simultaneously with the fall a fire broke out, caused by the overturning of the 6tove in the baggage car, whleh lit up the scene and added to the horrors of the calam ity. The passengers quickly recovered from the almost paralj-zing effects of the accident, and set about releasing such of their fellow-travel ers as were yet confined in tne aorts, wun such success that within ten minutes of the time of the accident every living person was conveyed to a place of safety. The train and everything inanimate it held, except that por tion which safely passed the obstruction, were utterly consumed, and in half an hour there was nothing left but a confused mass of iron wheels and twisted rods. About forty of the passengers were more or less injured, some of them seriously, but none it is thought fatally.. The baggage was en tirely consumed, the position of the car being such that no efforts could be made to f eeure it. Iu the baggage car was the corpse of a lady en route from Appleton, Wis., to Canada, which with everything else was burned ashes. It was a miracle that an accident involving such extraordinary risk resulted in so com paratively few serious cases. Had the passen gers been as numerous as on ordinary oc casions, or had tlie accident nappenea ai an earlier hour in the night, the result could not have failed of being infinitely more disastrous The loss to the Company is about $40,B0, without counting the moneys paid to passen srers lor tne destruction or baggage ana damages for personal injuries. extra. Wheat 2, 52! J 2, 70 NEW YORK. February 7, 1374. Cotton. Middling upland, 15Vil!?ic. Live Stock. Beef Cattle $9. 73&12.50. Hogs- Live, $6.i5tjr.50; Dressed, $7.C037.33. Sheep Live, J6.60S8.0J. Bkeadstitpfs. Flour Good to choice, f'i.70 3 7.00; white wheat extra, $7.0fS.8) Wheat No. 2 Chicago, fl.54Sl.57; Iowa spring, 1.5331.55; No. 2 Milwaukee spring, $1.571.59. Rye West ern and State, $1.0S31.10. Barley $2.00.2.25. Corn Mixed Western afloat, 80&S3c. Oats New Western, C262'4c. Phovisions. Pork New Mess, fld.COS 10.13 i Lard tPg9(4c. Wool. Common to extra, 4i&0c. CHICAGO. Live Stock. Beeves--Choice. $5.C05.40; good. f4.755.00; medium, $4.25 1.50; butchers stock, 3.2o4.00; stock cattle, J3.0O34.C0. Hogs Live, fo.3035.80; Dressed, $6.50a6.00. Sheep Good to choice, $5.0f5,6.00. Provisions. Butter Choice, 3357,3iC. Egg; Fresh, ltt&nc. Pork New Mess, $14.3S3 14.4-j. Lard 99;i c. Bbeadstutts. Flour White Winter $6.509.25; spring extra, $tl.00!(6.75. Spring, No. 2, $1.2031.21. Corn No. 574c. Oats No. Z, 41SJ41HC. Kjp No. 80c Barley No. 2, $1.75t.8. Wool. Tub-washed, 48J8c; fleece, washed, 305&4SC. ; fleece, unwashed, V334c. ; pulled. 35 -10c. t-lKCliNiN All. BREAnsTUTFS. Flour $7.00rTi7.3-. Wheat $1.50. Corn 60362c. Rye -9ic. Oate 45aa4c. Darlcy $1.65l.fc0. Provisions. Pork $15.25315.50. Lard 93 M. LOtlS. Live Stock. Beeves Fair to choice, $1,503 5.75. Hogs Live, $5.4O6.O0. BitBADSTrrps. Flour, XX Fall, $6.50(,7.00. Wheat No. 2 Red Fall. $1.4.1..V). Corn No. 2. 60Glc. Oats No. 2, 40318c. Rye No. 2, So 6fo. Barley $1.751.85. Provisions. Pork Mess, $15.00315.50. Lard S29c M 1 L, W A L. 1. C. Ca. Breadstcpps. Flonr Spring XX, $6.00(3.? 0. Wheat-Spring No. 1, $1.5i&L2Ui; No. 8, $1.21 1.24. Corn No. 2, 5757!4C Oats No. 2, 40ia 40'.;c. Rye No. 1, 7778c. Barley No. '-, $1.75 l.tO. v. ntuir. Breadstutps. Wheat Extra, $1.623.1. 024. Corn &Uifi5c . Oats 47S47tfc TOLEDO. Breadstuff. Wheat Amber Mich., $1.48 1.48;$ ; No. 2 Red, $1.4147. Corn Mixed, bl!-i G66ic. Oats No. 1, 474VsC CLEVELAND. BREADSTtrFFs. Wheat No. 1 Red, $1.5734.58; No. 2 Red, $1.471.48. Corn 5S7:5c. Oate 483 50c. BUFFALO. Live Stock. Beeves $4.5036.C0. Live, $5.506.25. Sheep Live, $5.0036. 50. to bonds..... Total coin bonds lawful money debt. Matured debt Legal tender notes... Certificates of deposit Fractional currency Coin certificates Interest Total debt Cash in Treasury : Coin - ....... Currency ....... Special deposits held forriemption of certificates of depoe, as pro vided by law... Total in Treasury Debt, less cash ia Treasnrj. . . Decrease during month Bonds issued to Pacific BaSrosd Companies. Interest anhie in lawful money, principal otstand ias; Interest accrued and not vet aid... Interest paid by United Statk. Interest repaid by transportion of mails, etc Balance of interest paid by tilted States . fl.SlS.K-J8.lrO 44.tJl,0M) $1,712,849,200 $14,678.10!) 15. 170.5" 0 381,7!4.029 45.E60.0i)0 47,7!. 45,104.(01 3J,41 5,576 2,293. 170,688 $85,351,309 4,781,203 45,560.000 $135,700,574 $3,157,470,114 $1,S45,211 61.621.512 8.324,117 22,3P6,0yi 4,800,053 17.5S0.G3G Gf.ology shows that a immense num ber of species of plantsvhich once grew on the surface of the eih have entirely disappeared. It is belired that this dis appearance is still goin; gradually on. THE GAD'S HILL OUTRAGE A Railroad Train in Southern Missouri Stopped and Plundered The Kipresi Messenger and t he Passengers Robbed, and the Mails Rifled The Iowa Out rage Repeated. The existence of a band of outlaws, the peers of those of whom Dick Turpin and Claude Duval were the acknowledged leaders, making their theater of operations the States of Missouri, Iowa and Aikansas, has been abundantly demonstrated during the last few months. The circumstances attending their attack upon the railroad train in Iowa, the plunder of a country store in Western Mis souri aud the recent robbery of a stage load of passengers near Hot Springs, Arkansas, will be well remembered by intelligent readers. From a money point of view the first outrage was the more successful one, although at tended with the loss of life, and it is not sur prising, therefore, that the members of this band have looked upon the many railroad trains running across the country with covet ous eyes. The task of capturing an uuguard ed railroad train is not a difficult one, as a description of the last attempt in that direc tion will amply demonstrate. The Little Rock express left St. Louis, Mo., via tha Iron Mountain Kailroad, at five o'clock on the morning of January 31, and arrived at "liighjiuuicks" in Sew York. To give an idea of this ignorance, let me recall, as nearly as I can, a little eni sode in tlie investigation: It happened that the late Judge luting, who had charge of the investigation on the part of the Citizens' Association, put on the stand a young physician, who tes'.ified that the health officers, or wardens, or inspectors, were men utterly ignorant of the first principles relating to the public health which they were appointed to preserve. In order to refute this, the head of the Health Department at the time brought on the stand, in perfect good faith, several of these health oiheers. loward the close of the examination of the first (one) of these gentlemen. Judge Whiting asked the question : "Did vou have a case of small-pox in your ward?" and he an swered, "Yes, sir." Judge Whiting "Did you visit the patient?" Witness "No, sir." Judge Whiting "Why not?" Witness "For the same reason that you would not; that I was afraid of tak ing it myself." Judge Whiting "Did the family have any care?" Witness "Yes, sir; they were 'hjgbjin nicks' (hygenics); they doctored them selves." As the other witnesses came in Judge Whiting used this as a sort of test ques tion as a sort of key to unlock the sys tem and siiow the utter ignorance that prevailed in every department of it. Every witness was asked: "Well, have you any 'highjinnicks' in your ward?" Some of the witnesses thought they had, some thought they had not; some thought "tney nau them pretty baaiy"; some thought they had them in some parts of the ward. At last the Judge asked a wit ness who had been answering his ques tion in this way: "Do vou know what the wcrd 'highjinnicks' means?'' and he answered: "les, sir, 1 do; it means a bad smell arising from dirty water." O course the exhibition was vastly amusing, but, after all the guffaw was over, a sad afterthought necessarily came to every thinking man as to the condition of the great metropolis which allowed all its dearest material interests to bo placed in such hands as this. It may lie said that this was the result of'a political system, but it was not. Had there been a tithe of the instructiorj which should have pre. Prof. II. A. Proctok has been delivering a series oi six lectures in New York city. on astronomy, which have been published in the New York papers. The fifth lec ture of the series was on M 1 he Wonders of the Star Depths," which is said to be superior in scientific interest and enter tainment to any of the others. We are indebted to the Herald for the following interesting analysis of this lecture: The lecturer first considered the ques tion of the seeming calm of the star depths compared with the real vastness of the movemenls taking place in them, lie opened by recalling to the minds of the audience the gradual change of the earth's rotation due to the influence of the tidal wave: but so slight is the effect of this disturbing cause that 2,000 years must elapse before n loss equal to three minutes of terrestrial time will re sult, ilillions of years must, there fore, elapse before any perceptible change takes place from this cause. The stellar sphere is carried through space from east to west. Other motions are perceptible, but they are only apparent. They are due to the earth's gy rating like a gigantic top, which causes an apparent motion in the heavens. The quietude of tlie stars is only apparent; for, though they are relatively fixed, they rush in a tumult through space, and though the heavens seem at rest they are the scene of most stupendous activily. Among the multitude of stars visible, the distance of some nine or ten only is ap proximately known, ana indeed "the dis tance ot one only can be said to be satis factorily determined, although the prob lem is of the deepest interest. Tlie change of oue star in tlie Centaur has been no ticed, and in order to show the delicacy of the observation and its difficulty the lecturer remarked that this star was re moved from our earth 210,000 times fur ther than the sun. In order to indicate the change of position, it would be neces sary to imagine the minute hand ot a watch marking the tivo-hundredth part of a second, and the deviation of the line drawn to the star to mark its change of position would be less. Nor is there any way of measuring the discs of the stars, as the best telescopes fail to show them except as points of light in space. Their distance is measured by light. The star in the Centaur is 210,000 times further off than the sun; it shines three times as brightlv, and is five times the sun's vol ume, liut there is another star m the space known as the king of stars. It is four times as bright as the 6tar in Cen taur and five times as far away. ihese lacts would seem to point to the ;istence of a higher order of stars than our plauets. It was conjectured that these bodies might have size and light, but not mass, and were therefore unable to exercise control in the systems or in fluence other bodies. But spectroscopic analyses allow us to ascertain in a most precise manner that tlie stars are, like our sun, glowing masses of matter shining through surrounding envelopes of vapors. The value of the spectroscopic analysis is due to it extreme delicacy, and the strictly scientific and unvarying results winch it gives in recording the presence of certain elements in the planets. In order to make this clear to the audience spectrums of the sun and of the variable stars, and the sun spots on the stars were exhibited, so as to make clear the mode in which the presence of certain matters was made evident on the ciiuerent heaven ly bodies. There were the lines on the spectrum indicating the presence of metals common to the earth. These ex periments were as certain as if the ob server carried into his laboratory a piece of the star and subjected it to chemical examination. The spotted stars were variable and resembled our sun. The spectroscope proved the existence in them of rcetals and other matter in certain form. The question whether color is in herent in colored stars or due to the cut ting off of some color bv the action of an atmosphere or envelope is full of in terest. Great di Terence is shown in the spectrums of these stars blue prevailing iu some, orange, red and yellow mothers. It is now generally accepted that color is not inherent in these bodies, but is due to the action of their envelopes on the light passing tbrouch. A beauliiul diagram ot a stellar group, supposed to be a cluster of suns, was exhib ited by Mr.Proctor.presentingto the mind's eye the vision ot a world without night, where noontide splendor would exist un ceasingly, and the skies know no night. If these worlds were inhabited the dwell ers would be shut off from all knowledge of the existence of other worlds. They would never behold the splendor of the starry heavens which surround them on every side, and would have no idea of space. Passing on to the consideration of the nebulas, the lecturer produced a very fine diagram of the nebulie in Orion, which showed clear evidence of the dynamical process. The mass of nebuhc lloattng with a cloarly marked spiral motion showed that it was not matter traveling in space, but nebnlaj passing through matter less dense. In order to demonstrate the enormous extent of the nebula: the lecturer reminded the audience of the immense diameter of even a single star of the thousands enveloped by the cloudlike nebula; which spread over space. lie vie wing rapidly the theories iibout the milky way and the enorts ot men like Herschel to lay bare the archi tecture of the heavens, and illustrating by diagrams the curious theories built up by astronomers, the lecturer proceeded to show in what these theories were detect ive and opposed to the discoveries made in late 3'ears. The attraction of the stars toward some unknown point in space was explained and illustrated by a diagram showing the motion and direction "of a group of stars and marking the progress they would make in 36,000 years to the point to which they are tending. Observations with powertul modern telescopes have exploded the old theories about the star system, and showed the system to be infinitely more wonderful than it had been imagined. In support of this statement the lecturer exhibited dia grams of the star system, as imagined by astronomers, and a map of the heavens showing the actual distribution. A sky map containing 324.000 stars was exhibit ed which contrasted strangely with tlie theoretical systems of Herschel and other astronomers. It is estimated that by usinsr powerful telescopes 20,000,000 o stars can be discovered and mapped down. This will give some idea of the infinity of the system, which svems to begin nowhere and end nowhere. The subject of the star depths is one well calculated to inspire awe in the thoughtful mind. Mr. Proctor brought his lecture to a close by relating the dream of Ilichter, to show the infinite grandeur of the endless worlds rolling on ever into eternity. BY THE DEAD. BT TELIA TlIAITtR. O Poverty, till now I never knew 1 he meaning of the word I What lark in here ! O pale niimk of a soul. Rreat. pood aud truf ! O mockius cmblance ulretched upon a biert Knrh atom nf iIiIm devastated face Was so inntiiirt with power, with warmth am lijrht: What desert is so desolate! "No grace Is left, no gleam, no chanjje, no day, no night. Where s the key that locked theie pates of speech Once beautiful, where thought etoou sentinel. Where sweetness sat, where wi.-dom passed, to teach Our weakuess strength, our homage to compel Deanoiled at last, and wasle and barren lies This onco to rich domain. Where lives and moves. In what new world, the splendor of these eyes That dauntless lightened like imperial Jove's f Annihilated, do yon answer met Blown out and vanished like a candle flame T Is nothing left but this pale efttjy. This silence drear, this dreud without a name? lias It been all In vain, our love and pride. This yearning love that s'ill pursues our friend Into the awful dark, unsatisfied. Bereft, aud wrung with puiu? Is this tho end? Would God so mock ns? To onr human sense No answer reaches Ihrouirh the doubtful air; Yet with a living hope, profound, intense. Our tortured souls rebel against despair, As bowinjr to the bitter f;ile we po Drooping and dumb as if beueath But does not pitying Heaven answer UIi all the voice or me universe? .Sitnbit-r't Monthly. . curse ; ''o!M THE DEVILFISH. Henry Slattenbery, of DavcnporLlowa, recently got a piece of gas-pipe, plugged up one end with a piece of iron, filled the pipe with powder and touched it off. The plug blew out and struck the boy in the head, inflicting a frightful wound, from the effect of which he died shortly after wards. Ax Italian musical education, together with the advantage of a chape-one, costs a young lady $3,000 a year oa an average. Victor IIcoo. in his "Toilers of the Sea," gave an elaborate and painfully in teresting description of a marine monster whicti tie mosi appropriately caueu i ne Devii-Fish. This name is applied to two varieties of fish, one ol which is lound on the Atlantic coast. An incident occurred in the harbor of Charleston, b. C, some years ago, wnicn iirst orougni tuis nsn prominently Detore the American puoiic. A negro who nan ancuoreu nis ooai in what he thought a luvorable place, and who was fishing quietly, suddenly felt the bow of his boat pulled down, and, in stinctively rushing to the stern to keep her balanced, roared for help. The creat ure that had hold of his anchor began to pull him out to sea. He roared the louder, and tried to turn the boat, answer ing to those approaching him, who asked where he was going, "I dunuo, lor de debbil has hold of me I" Either his noise, or the pressure he brought to bear, caused the fish to turn, so that it soon ran on the shallows. Those in the rescuing boats then at tacked it with boat-hooks, pitchforks, and whatever other weapons came to hand, until finally it was killed. It proved to be a female specimen of the Cejhaloptera vampirv, or ocean vampire, also called the sea-devil. It nearly covered the lloor of the small room in which it was exhib ited, measuring nine feet across and hav ing the form of a triangle, with one long curved side. In the middle of this long curve was the mouth, and on each side of the mouth an arm as long as a man's and about four times as thick. These were evidently intended to convey food to its mouth, and it must have been with these that it caught and held the negro's anchor. Some years ago a "school" of them ap peared off Cape May. The neighboring fishermen became quite excited, and went after them in a schooner. They harpoon ed and captured some twenty of them. The largest one they caught which, how ever, they declared was not the largest one thev saw measured filteen feet in width by twelve feet in length, and weigh ed two thousand and foriy-four pounds when disemboweled. Mr. T. R. Peale, of Philadelphia, saw and bought this specimen for two hun dred dollars. No door-wav could be found large enough to let It in except that of Inde pendence Hall, and this huge offering ol American seas lay there in patriotic state, surrounded by wondering groups. Chemistry, however, soon began to make its transformations patent to sur rounding noses. Mr. Peale, therefore, made a careful drawing of the fish, and then a frame re sembling it as much as possible, on which to stretch the skin. It took him all of one night to skin it, and three carts were kept busy until dawn in carrying away the flesh. The devil-fish of Victor Hugo beloners to a different class. It is a Cephalopoda, or head-footed, because the feet, or rather arms, spring directly from the head. Most of them have a horny beak like that of a parrot, except that the under part is longer instead of the upper. One of these has been preserved, which is four and a half inches iu length. The muscles in which the jaws are embedded, and by which they are worked, are extremely powerful. Mr. Beale, an Englishman, who had cone ashore on one of the Donin Islands to look for shells, noticed suddenly at his feet an extraordinary-looking animal crawling toward the surf, which it had evidently only just left. It was creeping on its eicrht lens, which, from their soft and flexible nature, bent considerably unuer me weigm oi us uouy, so mat wa3 lifted by its efforts but little above the rocks. It appeared much alarmed at seeing him, and made every effort to es cape. Mr. lieale endeavored to stop it by pressing on one of its legs with his foot; but, although he used considerable force for that purpose, its strength was so great that it several times liberated its JiniD in spite of all the efforts he could employ on the wet and slippery rocks. He then laid hold, with his hand, of one of the tenta cles in which its limbs terminated, and held it firmly, so that it appeared as if the limb would be torn asunder by the united efforts of himself and the creature. He then gave it a powerful jerk, wishinsr to disengage it from the rocks to which it clung so forcibly by its suckers. This effort it effectually resisted ; but the moment after, the ap parently enraged animal lifted its head, with its lanre protecting eyes, and, loos ening Its hold upon the rock, suddenly sprang upon Mr. Beale's arm, and clung to it by means of its suckers with great power, endeavoring to get its beak, which could now be seen between the roots of its arms, in a position to bite. A sensa tion of horror pervaded Mr. Beale's whole frame when he found that this hideous animal had fixed itself so firmly onhi3arm. Its cold, slimy grasp was extremely sickening; and he called loud ly to the captain, who was at some dis- . a a t T tance, to come ana release nim irom jus disgusting assailant. The captain quickly came, and, taking him down to the boat, during which time Mr. Beale was employed in keeping the beak ot the octopus away from his hand, soon released him by destroying his tor mentor with the boat-knife, which he ac complished by cutting away portions at a time. Let us now see how large these formid able creatures sometimes grow. A re cent writer (October 2-5. 18731 says that the Italian fishermen of San Francisco, who frequent the Farallone Islands, and go down the coast, not unfrequently take these devil-fish from eight to ten feet across; and, some months ago, he saw one hanging at a door that measured at least nine feet from tip to tip of the ten tacles. In ISoo, Captain Hygrom brought to Copenhagen, from the Bahama Islands, one of these fish eighteen feet long. Pliny speaks of one that infested the coast of Spain, devour ing the fish and de stroying the fisheries. It weighed seven hundred pounds, and its arms were more than thirty feet long, bwedianer report that some whalers took out of the mouth of a whale pieces of a cuttle fish that were twenty-five let t long. A male of a whaling vessel states that there were enormous squids in the equa torial seas that furnished food to tho sperm-whales, and that he had on one oc casion seen an arm of one, thirty feet long, sticking in tho mouth of a whale that seemed sick. He said he had often seen floating pieces of their arms as thick through as a Hour barrel. This latter statement is corrob orated by Mr. T. II. Peale, Captain Francis Post anil Captain E. E. Smith. Another witness, whose name is not given, is quot ed as having seen a piece forty leet long. The suckers on these large arms are said, by two witnesses, to be two leet across. A large sperm-whale has an under jaw some eighteen feet long, thickly set with strong teeth. He dives down.it steins, and bites oil" the arms of these huge devil fish, and devours them. A writer in the Naturalist of February, 1ST3, says: "It is a prevalent opinion among seamen that the largest being that swims is a colossal squid or i uttle-tish." So here we come at last to that old, tough story of Bishop Pontoppidan that has long been looked upon as the greatest "fish-story" extant. Briefly given, it is this: The Norwegian fishermen sometimes find unexpected shallowB when a short distance out at sea, tho depth suddenly diminishing from one hundred fathoms to twenty or thirty. Then they know that the kiker is rising, and they im mediatelyretreat. II is back first appears, looking 'like a number of small islands. His arms rise above the surface like the maits of a vessel, and are said to have power to grasp the largest man-of-war and pull it to the bottom. Pontoppidan's time was from loyy to lido, and Norwegian men-of-war. in those days, were not as large as ours. If we allow the longest piece said to be bitten off by tlie sperm-whale (forty feel) to be two-thirds of tlie arm, this would give arms sixty feet long; and such arms, on such a monster, might well be formid able to a small vessel. In a recent number of Nature (June 5. 1373), the following extract gives a very- curious proof of the possibility of 6ueh an attack: "A recent copy of tlie Japan Gazette states that a huge cephalopod is now shown in a bouse near the temple at Asaka, Yeddo. It seems that a fishing boat was seized by its tentacles, while off the village of Kononoto, and that the boatmen killed the creature by repented blows. Its body was sixteen "feet long." Since the above was written, a curious confirmation of these facts and possibili ties has occurred quite near to us iu fact, almost upon our own coast. Ihe Kev. M. Harvey, of New foundland, n a recent communication, says: "A few days ago (October 2b, lSi.l). two of our fishermen were out, in a small boat, in Conception Bay, near Portugal Cove, when they saw a dark, shapeless mass floating on the water. "On approaching, the men concluded it was a huge bale of goods perhaps part of the cargo of some wrecked vessel and that they had found a valuable prize. One of them struck the ob ject with his boat-hook, when sud denly the dark heap became animated, opened out like a huge umbrella without a handle, and the horror stricken fisher men beheld a pair of green eyes, lull of intelligence, but also ot lerocity, glaring at them, w hile ils huge, parrot-like beak opened with savage and malignant pur pose. The men were petrified with ter ror, and, for a moment, so fascinated with the horrible sight that they were powerless. Ihe eyes ot the monster were pecul iarly large and prominent, bright, and apparently gleaming with rage. Before the fishermen could make any attempt to escape, the creature, now but a few feet rom the boat, appeared to open out, and suddenly there shot out from around its face several long arms ot corpse-like fleshiness. Had these lithe, slimy arms, with their death like adhesive powers, once fastened themselves on the boat or the men, nothing could have saved them rom destruction; lor, when the suckers with which they are furnished have taken hold, nothing can tear them away. They would have been brought in a moment within reach of the powerful beak which was reaJy to dart upon them. ' Only one ot the longer arms reached the boat. and. owini? to its lenirth. went r i i"von(l il Onlek as lightning, one ot the men seized a hatchet, and, at one blow, severed the corpse-like arm which ras flung over the boat to drag it to destruction. "The green-eyed monsler uttered no cry of pain, but moved oil; and the fishermen, who had thus es caped a horrible death, found them selves in possession of the amputated arm, which has been forwarded from St. John's. I have just returned from a care ful examination ol it. It measures nine teen feet in length, and, as the fishermen say the devil-fish must have at least ten feet of this arm remaining, the entire length must have been twenty-nine feet. It is tough and fibrus, livid in color, and pointed at the extremity, where it is cov ered with rows of suckers, which are car tilaginous, horny, and about the size of a quarter of a dollar. These suckers act on the principle of a cupping-glass. Each of them consists of a firm, fleshy, cartil aginous ring, across which a disk of mus cular membrane is stretched, with a cir cular aperture in the center. A cone febaped mass of flesh fills this aperture, like a piston, capable of being drawn backward. The membranous disk can also be drawn in. The moment one of these disks touches the prey, the devil fish retracts the fleshy piston, which creates a vacuum, and makes the edge of the disk press against tlie surface, so that it is impossible to tear them away with out destroying the arm." Mr. Alexander'Murray, the geologist of Newfoundland, in a letter to Professor Jules Marcou, dated November 10, 1873, and read before the Boston Society of Natural History, November 19, lb73, corroborates substantially this account, adding that the name of the fisherman who cut off the monster's arm was The ophilus Picot, and that the animal was seen off the eastern end of Great Belle Island, in Conception Bay. He says: "A part of this tentacle I hve now in my possession, immersed inspirits. I send you with this letter a couple of photo graphs of the said tentacle, and a lew of the small, denticulated sucking-cups. Picot saj"8: 'The body of the animal was about sixty feet long, its general diameter not less than five feet, and the breadth of iu tail at least ten feet. He stated that when the creature found itself mutilated it made off.backward, or tail first, after the manner of squids, darkening the water over a large space with inky emis sions. Tlie enormous proportions given above might appear to be exaggerations were they not to a great extent borne out by the fragment of the animal which was secured, and of which the photograph will give you a fair idea. The beak, or bill, Picot says, was about as large as a six-gallon keg." Appletont' Journal. . Ax excellent cement, we read, may be made from rice flour. It is oalylieces.-ary to mix the rice flour intimately with cold water and centlv simmer it over a fire. when it readily forms a delicate and dura ble cement. When made of the consist ence of plaster, models, busts, relievos, etc., may be formed from it. Axothkr deadly weapon is added to the list of those with which assassinations are committed, and a sand-club is now made the rutins of letting oat the sand? of life.