Newspaper Page Text
HIGHLAND
RECORDER
vol. vi.
MONTEREY, HIGHLAND COUNTY, VA., AUGUST 4, 1893.
NO. 36,
-OK??
The Curse of the M.
louds.
p
BY LEON LEWIS.
tHAPTER VIII.
GNVS RILLINGTON.
REATLY to his
joy and i-elfef,
Radd Moreland,
A n awakening
?.?arly the follow?
ing morning,
found himsnlf en?
tirely emancipat?
ed from the
"phantoms"
which had dis?
turbed his latest
waking thoughts,
and this joy took
definite shape
after he had
made 1 thorough
survey of t he
premises without
discovering any traces of an intrusion.
His first proceeding after breakfast
was to replace the glass he had broken
and nail up the three signs he had sup?
pressed and thou he decided to saunter
to town and boldly ask for his sister-in
law's mail.
To his intense satisfaction, he secured
_ letter and a parcel ol newspapers, all
bearing the postmark ol Calen itu
"They're from Colonel Ridley, nc
doubt:" was thc mental ejaculation with
which he set about retracing his st"ps tr.
The Elms. "I wonder what they con?
tain?"
Ho found upon closer examination
that the newspapers >*ould be readily
slipped ont of their wrapper, and he was
soon busily absorbed in their perusal as
he continued his course homeward.
-. "From the Colonel, sure enough!" he
ejaculated, after a few rapid glances.
"He's coming back to America immedi?
ately! Here are marked articles ex?
pressing the regret of the press and pub?
lic at his retirement from business and
bis departure from the country!"
He "skimmed" the ai tides in question
with an intense Interest, at times paus?
ing In his walk and standing as motion?
less as a statue with audible comments
and ejaculations.
"I don't see just wher he's coming nor
how," he at length ejaculated, as he re?
turned thc newpapers to their wrapper
and set out at a high pace for The Elms.
"Evidently that is a matter he has taken
rare to keep to himself, or else lie has ex?
pressed his intentions only in this letter
to his sister. What a pity it is that I
have never met the Colonel. He might
turn up here at any moment and I
shouldn't know him from Adam."
By the time he had reached the seclu?
sion of The Elms he had become very
curious concerning the contents of the
Colonel's letter, and had resolved to open
ft and learn its contents.
"Fortunately there is no big seal in the
way," he muttered, after turning the
epistle over and over a dozen times, and
trying in vain to pry into it. "With the
aid of a little steam from the i ozzie of a
lea kettle I shall be able to manage it in
such a way as to harm neither the letter
nor the envelope. It will not be the firs;
one. Later, after I've read it. I'll seal it
up again, and my sister-in-law will bo
none the wiser for the liberties I've
taken."
The envelope was soon open and the
letter in his hands. It was dated as
postmarked and read as follows:
"Dear Sister and Niece: I nm coming
home Immediately. The grand question
bas been how to bring ray money, which
?amounts to a trifle over two millions of dol?
lars, exclusive; ot the vsilaasables contained
In six large chests, runny of Which are pres?
ents for you. You will remember that the
one rule and watchword of my life has been
never to exchange a certainty for an un?
certainty, and tbis principle commands me
to bring my money in ready cash instead of
raking anybody's letters of credit or other
commercial paper. 1 have derided to bring
with me Agnus Millington, who has been my
confidential bookkeeper for six years past.
Ho ls such a trustworthy young man. and 1
have become so dependent upon him. that
I seldom take the leasi step without his
knowledge. By his thcughtful action I
havo converted my fortune into paper
money, principally English, French and
American, and this me; sure has been BO
well managed by Agnus that no one hero
has received a hint of it. All this ready
cash has been secured in a neat little solid
6ole leather trunk, with which Agnus and I
6tart for bonn' in ilia' 1. & O. .steamer of
uext Saturday. Your loving brother and
uncle. Harton Ridlky.
isp, s -We shall not take the T. & O.
sfter all! At the last minute, after our
passage was engaged. Agnus discovered
that my intentions had become known to a
?score of the worst villains in Calcutta, and
that they had engaged steerage passage
with the evident design of robbing me.
Agnus learned that they were determined
to scuttle the ship or set it afire if neces?
sary to carry their point. At his suggestion
I have purchased a splendid ocean-going
6chooner-yacht. the Albatross, which be?
longed to the late Yiceroy, and am coming
homo in my ownvassel. Wv shall sail to?
morrow late at night, so as to slip off un?
seen, and I will avrit" you next from Cape
Town, South Africa. I close by expressing
the hope tbat .lessie la still heart-free, as I
am anxious to see Agnus make a favorable
Impression upon her. I inclose his photo?
graph.
"P. S. No. 2.-1 may also bring some of
my faithful servants."
The reading of this extraordinary epis?
tle left such a disagreeable Impression
upon the mind of Radd Moreland that ho
hastened to read it asain. with many an
unfavorable comment and many an un?
easy movement in his chair.
"lt's unmistakably th" Colonel's hand?
writing." he ejaculated, "although I
have not seen a specimen of it before
for many a long vear. But I don't like
it! There's too much of that confidential
bookkeeper In it?too much Agnus Hil?
lington!"
He proceeded to scan critically the
photograph which had dropped out of
the letter.
lt was that of a young man of thirty
years, with very rogillai1 features and a
businesslike air. but the impression it
left upon Kadd's mind was a-ven more
unfavorable than that which had been"
produced by the letter. While Agnus
Hillington was certainly a handsome
man, his beauty had many a sinister line
and there was such a lack of soul in tho
picture that Kadd Instantly decided lt
was a mere mask of an essentially deep
and treacherous nature.
"Why, the fellow's as deadly as a
thug!" exclaimed Kadd, as he dropped
the photograph and took up the letter
tor d third perusal. "I wonder the Col
Miel can trust such o. counTerar.ca as
that ro implicltlyl Td as roan trust a
hungry dog with my dinner!
Uh Comments wert interrupted by the
sound of Wheels Oh thc drive near the
Louse, and he hastened to look cautiously
from the nearest window.
"Great Scott! there's thc thug nov.!"
he cried, In irrepressible amazement.
"Alono, tool Here's a stale of things!'1
He hastened to stnadv his B6rft9 frith
half a pint of Ytjucm, with a lively ap?
prehension that anoth 'i- touch of the
(reUens was threatened, and then hr*
took his way to thc front door which he
threw widr- open just as a carnage from
thc station rolled up to the steps.
?This is Mrs. Moreland's, slr," an?
nounced the driver, <is he slippfil from
his box ar.d oprned tha* dcor of the ve?
hicle. -'Evidently, sir, you are ex?
pected!"
There could be no mistake about the
identity of the passenger, after another
glance at, hiin, as he sprang lightly out
of the caraiage.
lie was the original of the photograph
inclosed In the Colonel's letter from Cal?
cutta.
A single Instant only Radd hesitated,
assuring himself what was his best line
of conduct in this emergency, ahd then
he advanced rapidly to meet the new
somer, extending his hand and fdrcing a
:niile to his features.
"I am sorry, Mr. Hillington," he said,
"that Mrs. Moreland and her daughter
are not here at the. moment to welcome
you In parson, but I take great pleasure
in receiving you In their stead. I am
Radd Moreland, Mrs. Moreland's brother
n-law. and Miss Jessie's uncle."
Mr. Hillington smiled his thanks, J
mowing a double row of faultless teeth,
is he shook the hand offered him, but did
act speak until he had diamtMSd the
oarriage and Radd had assisted him in
Hurrying Into the wide hall of The Elms
leveral pieces of baggage, which in
duded a couple of handsome tin-covered
trunks.
"You surprised me. Mr. Moreland, by
"?ailing me by name at sight," then "said
the newcomer, as Radd closed the door;
'and I am curious to know how you were
iwate of my identity."
'?Wary as a thug, too," thought Radd,
".ind also as suspicious."
But he hast 'ned to reply:
"Oh, we have the Colonel's letters. Mr.
Hillington, and we also have your photo?
graph, which the Colonel inclosed for
ny niece."
"Ah. that's it," returned Hillington.
with a barely perceptible accent of relief.
%s he followed Radd to the sitting-room.
'And so the ladies are absent?"
"For a few days?yes. sir!"
Hillington looked relieved at the intel?
ligence. He even sighed audibly, as if
lisraissing some grave, preoccupation
?a used by the thought or expectation of
meeting the mother and daughter.
"The Colonel's letter has only just
reached me," added Radd, motioning tho
newcomer to a chair, "and consequently
my niece and her mother are not yet ad?
vised of his proposed advent; They have
gone to a summer retreat we have down
the lake, hut I can readily reach them
by mail or telegraph, or I can take you
to them"
"All in due time, Mr. Moreland," re?
turned Hillington. with another involun?
tary sigh of relief. "For the moment I
am not sorry that the ladies are absent,
now that you are, sir. to receive me in
their stead, as it will be much easier for
me to make known my had business to
you than it would he to break the same
to them!"
"Ah! there are bad news, then?" ex?
humed Radd with a sudden flush of in?
terest and expectancy. "I suspected as
much, Mr. Hillington, from the moment
[ gel eyes on you. for the simple reason
that vou arrived here alone. The Col?
onel-"
"Yes, the Colonel is in trouble," de?
clared Hillington, in a barely audible
tone, and with wary glances around.
"By the way. Mr. Moreland, are we
?uite alone here'."'
"Quite, sir, quite," replied Radd, al?
though it cost him something to admit
tho fact, sa. sinister was the impression
the confidential bookkeeper had already
made upon him. "Even the chamber?
maid and housekeeper are absent, a9
they have preceded the ladies to our
island retreat!"
'?Then I may come to thc facts with?
out the least hesitation or circumlocu?
tion." declared Hillington, looking re?
lieved at the information imparted to
bim. "In a word, Mr. Moreland, the
Colonel is dead!"
The announcement not only startled
Radd. but he could not help showing his
agitation as he thought of the far-reach
Ing consequences such a fact must neces
sarily have upon even his own fortunes
and relations.
"And not only dead, but wickedly and
barbarously murdered!" added Hilling?
ton, with on air which might have been
modeled upon that of a parrot repeating
a lesson, and which certainly lacked
very element of sympathy and sorrow.
?So ^suddenly and strangely murdered
that we did not even have the satisfac?
tion of securing his body for burial!"
It is doubtful if Radd Moreland, in all
bis strange and varying experiences, had
pver received such a shock as was given
him by these revelations.
He dropped into a chair with barely
life enough to motion the visitor anew to
Jo likewise, and sat staring at his
"thug" as wildly as he had so recently
Stared at Tippoo and the Bengalese wo?
man and their mysterious master.
"I?I suppose those terrible outcasts
of Calcutta are the murderers of the
Colonel?" he cried, after gasping for
breath.
-What outcasts?" returned Agnus
Hillington quickly, with a glance as
sharp as his voice.
"Those to whom the Colonel referred
in his last letter from Calcutta!"
"Ah, have you that letter handy? And
can I see it?"
?'Certainly."
"I can tell you whether it is the last
the Colonel wrote or not."
"Of course, sir."
Radd produced the letter in questioD
and Agnus Hillington read it rapidly bul
carefully, with the air of fixing every
word of it in his memory.
??Yes. that is the last letter thc Colonel
ever wrote to his sister," he declared, as
be folded it and handed lt back to Radd.
??Take good care of it, Mr. Moreland!
Your sister-in-law would not have it lost
for worlds!"
??I can quite understand bow she will
prize it. Mr. Hillington," returned Radd,
as he stowed the letter and photograph
away In an inner pocket, with a very
thoughtful and speculative air. "I will
take good care to hand it to her in per?
son."
"That's right, sir," assured thc visitor.
"I particularly want that letter to reach
your sister-in-law's hands safely, as lt is
the first great link of evidence in th?
chain of events which have resulted In
the Colonel's untimely death'"
llb snuffed vignrouslv ,'wo W khrt*?J
flmns rit I bottle of salts he had drawn
from one of his y.est pockets, and which
instantly diffused a pungent and restor?
ative odor throughout the apartment,
and then resumed:
"As you have so readily and intelli?
gently surmised, my dear Mr. Moreland,
those -outlaws of Calcutta1 nyo Indeed
the _ut_0Fs bf the Wlbners murder. He
reached Cape Town in due course, after
a very remarkable run, and came tn
anchor in Table Ray. The hour of our
arrival was rather late?almost mid?
night, in fact.?and the Colonel accord?
ingly decided not to go ashore or let any
one else do so until the following morn?
ing."
Radd nodded breathless!};, td signify
that he was not losing a word of the
narration.
"How cari i adequately describe what
followed," continued Hillington, wi*h
a sigh, resorting again to his salts. "We
had not been at our anchorage half an
hour when we were suddenly boarded
and assailed by a swarm of assassins.
Worst calamity of all, we discovered that
several of these reprobates had smuggled
themselves Into our crew. Taken by
BUrprisea betrayed, outmatched and over?
powered, AVhat criuld we do? We were
simply annihilated! Ihe Colonel was
one cf the first to be murdered. He fell
lust a? 1 was stricken down senseless at
his feet, and we were thrown overboard
together."
Radd groaned in horror.
"Fortunately the cold water revived
me, and I struck out for the shore, see?
ing that the yacht was already in thc
hands of the pirates. I dare say you
have read enough to be aware of the
configuration of Table Hay. We had an?
chored well out toward Robbins' Island,
the wind being northwest and bluster?
ing, so as to be in a position to pull out
In case it came on to blow. It was owing
to our being anchored so far out thal
our battle was not overheard in Cape
Town, and it was owing to the direction
of the wind that I was able, after an
hour's desperate swim, to reach tin1
shore as the sole survivor of our people."
"As tho -aolc survivor!" repeated Radd
Moreland. "How- very, very singular!1*
"Oh, not at fill! Those cut-throats who
had smuggled themselves aboard the
yacht rts stamen Instantly turned, yon
see. on all who '-food by the Colonel, in?
cluding myself. It was not a fight, but
a massacre."
"But. how came the pirates in Cape
Town ahead of you?'' pursued Radd.
"How? They had stolen one of the
fastest steamers in Calcutta, and pursued
us, arriving near Cape Town three days
ahead of us, so that they were looking
for ur at the moment of our arrival."
"You say they waited for you near
Cape Town, Mr Hillington. Didn't they
anchor in Table Ray?"
"No, sir!'*
"And those ships which were anchored
In Table Bay at thc moment of the fight,
tiki they not come to the rescue or hear
Qt see anything?"
The East Indian stirred uneasily,
while a strange flash invaded his face.
"Very, very few ships were In port,"
he then said, with barely visible hesi?
tancy, and none of them sent assistance
In time to be of the least use to us, it was
all so sudden?such a startling surprise!"
"And the Colonel's yacht, sir?"
"The pirates carried it off with them,"
narrated Hillington. "and with it went
every dollar of the Colonel's two millions.
and also those six valuable trunks filled
with costly presents and personal effect >
he was bringing home with him! Could
any disaster be more sweeping, my dear
Mr. Moreland? To lose life, fortune and
ship at one fell swoop?how dreadful! Of
course I raised the town, after reaching
the shore, and a prolonged search was
made for the pirates, as also for the Col?
onel's body, but in vain!"
Once more the East Indian resorted
energetically to his bottle of salts, while
Radd shivered in wondering amaze at
these horrifying revelations.
VIE
j hat
CHAPTER IX.
TWO OF A KIND.
brief silence
hat succeeded, as
thc two men strug?
gled with their ex?
citement, was brok?
en by one of those
undefined sounds
which had previous?
ly attracted Radd's
notice, as also the
attention of Mrs.
Moreland and
Jessie.
"What's that ?"
i^Cdemanded Hilling
sX ton, suddenly sus?
pending the motion
of the hand that held his bottle of salts.
"We're overrun by rats, sir."
"But what I heard sounded like human
footsteps!" insisted Hillington nervously.
"That's some sudden scampering of the
rodents. I've heard them repeatedly.
The house is one of the oldest structures
built on these shores, as you may have
noticed?very old and somewhat dilapi?
dated, it having been left uninhabited
many years."
"Are you quite sure there'a re no human
ears near us, other than our own?" con?
tinued Hillington, as he fixed his gaze
upon a certain point of one of the walls
of the apartment.
"Sure? Of course Tam. Those sounds
Rre caused by rats, and by nothing else!"
Radd spoke very decidedly, and with?
out the least Intention of saying anything
about his unfortunate habit of drinking
and its consequent phantoms?including
"Mr. Chapman"?for tho simple reason
that he had already conceived the proj?
ect of making an ally of this young man
from India and was anxious to stand wi
with him.
Much to Radd's joy?for he was eager
to hear more of the tragic fate of Colonel
Barton Ridley?the explanation he had
given was instantly accepted, doubtless
because tho sounds within the wall had
ceased, and Hillington resumed his nar?
rative as follows:
"As was necessary and natural, I re?
mained in Cape Town several days, of?
fering rewards and making every effort
to get track of the outlaws, but they did
not even enter port, and it ls only reason?
able to presume that they sailed with
their booty within a few minutes of their
victory for some distant piratical haunt
In the China Sea or the Indian Ocean."
"So that not a trace of them reached
you?"
"Not a trace, slr."
Radd smiled a little stronger.
"I suppose the authorities at Cape
Town gave you every possible assist?
ance?" he queried, watching Hillington
closely, but without letting him detect
the fact,
"Certainly: every possible assistance."
"Was an account of the tragedy tele?
graphed in every direction?"
"It was."
"And published all over the world?"
"Nd ddubt, sir. The pdllceauthorities
and regular press ajrenfs would havo
taken good care of that point."
"Strange that no American paper has
mentioned the matter, so far as I am
aware." exclaimed Radd. "Was there a
report in the Cape Town papers?"
"Yes, sir; full details. I furnished
them tu's.'if"
Again Radd smiled as singularly as
guardedly, while Hillington uttered a
Blgfa of relief, vigorously wiping a flood
d perspiration from hi^ fare and fore?
head, which had become quite Bushed
under Radd's leading questions.
"I Bupposc handbills were printed and
posted, offering a reward for the assas?
sins?" wu* Radd's n'xf que'-tion,
'?Yes. sir." replied Hillington. "Wc
even sent them away in.the mails by thal
thousand to all parts of the world!-'
"How large was the reward odored?"
"Five thousarfd pounds, sir!"
"Indeed,? So much?1gp\claiincd Radd.
with unmistakable interest. "Was this
your individual offer, or that of the
police authorities of Cape Town, or both
combined?"
"It. was my individual offer!" replied
Hi'lington, his flush deepening, and a
shade of anger and annoyance beginning
to appeal1 in his bearing.
"I wonder such an offer did not make
the circuit bf the glor">!" declared Radd.
"Strange wo are all still in Ignorance of"
it on this side of the ocean! But how
did you expect to pay such a largo re?
ward in case it should be claimed?"
"Why, out of the Colonel's millions.
Naturally, the bulk of the reward was
offered for the return of the money!"
"And the balance? How would you
have paid that?if I am not tiring you
too much with all these questions?"
"tint of my own money, slr my say?
ings for the last ten years.''
"Ah, you have made yourself com?
fortable, have yon, in the service of the
Colonel?"
"Weil, to some extent, Mr. Moreland."
answered the newcomer. "The Colonel
has been paying me five hundred pounds
a year. Rein-- a single man, I ha vi*
laved the bulk of my salarv. and have
Investi'd it to excellent advantage. A
small bequest was left, ne' by an Uncle,
andi took good care of thru. I lum
also bough! and sold several pieces of
real estate advantageously. In short. I
have made my way upwards, and am
worth about 150,000."
"Quite a handsome sum for a man of
your age. Mr. Hillington." remarked
Radd. speaking as carelessly as if he
handled the amount na med every day.
"None of the rewards offered were
claimed, however?"
"No, sir."
Radd cleared his throat vigorously at
this point, as if all he had said previously
had been paving the way tq:a more rigid
investigation.
"Have you any documents referring to
this great tragedy, Mr. Rillington?-- he
Suddenly asked. "Any handbills, the
Cape Town papers, or what not'.'"
"Oceans of them, sir?oceans! One of
my trunks is partly filled with them.
But why do you ask, Mr. Moreland?"
"In your interest, simply." and Kadd
fixed such a glance upon the confidential
bookkeeper as a hunter fixes upon a rep?
tile ii,, is about to destroy. "You have
come here with a rerj Strange story,
which you will soon have occasion to tell
to my sister-in-law and niece?to a
Couple of ladles, 1 warn you, a1- sharp as
the teeth of one of your East-Indian
tigers! Please bear In mind that you are
hot dealing with two foolish old women
who arc ready to believe the first lie you
may choose to invent."
"Lief" interrupted Hillington. turning
pale with anger, as he sprang to his feet.
"Do you mean to say I run lying?"
"Certainly not," replied Radd. "Sit
down, Mr. Hillington, and don't be se
ready to take offense where none is in?
tended. I am merely warning you that
you must gather np all yo ir documents,
proofs, or whatever may bear upon the
fate which luis overtaken your late em?
ployer, and be ready to offer due con?
firmation of all yam say. which of course
will corer the whola' period subsequent
to your departure from Calcutta!"
"Ah. yes ? thank you -I comprehend,"
returned lliiiintrtun. who had grown de?
cidedly nervous, as he resinned his seat.
"I will act upon your suggestion ami be
ready."
"Otherwise." insinuated Radd, with
that confidential air he knew so well how
ta assume, "the tales you tell may fall
under suspicion. For [nstance, no one
In Cape Town knows any more about the
outlaws from Calcutta. 1 suppose, than if
they had never existed?"
"Well. I BUppOM not." answered Hil?
lington, "seeing that they have not been
captured."
"In other terms, you are the sole au?
thority for all that relate- to the Colonel's
death. All the Cape Town people know
of the tremendous battle in Table Bay ls
what you have told them! How un?
fortunate that you are the sole survivor
of the schooner yacht in which the
Colonel sailed from Calcutta! Whrit a
dreadful misfortune it is thal you do not
have a single witness to confirm your
horrible story!"
Agnus Hillington sat as if paralyzed,
with a glare in his eyes like that of a
hunted beast of prey.
"Rut you were sa vine you spent sev?
eral days in Cape Town. Mr. Hillington,"
continued Radii, without seeming to no?
tice the confusion of the newcomer.
"About how many?"
"I was there five days, or until one of
the steamers of the I'nion Navigation
Company sailed for Southampton, when
I took passage in her. She proved to li ?
the Afrtca, the very slowest ship of the
fleet, and in every way the most uncom?
fortable Ship I was ever in. She is SO
glow that She is jocularly called the
Skimmer of the Seas. The passengers
could never tire of making jokes about
her speed, and hardly a night passed
that some one did not request tho cap?
tain to hangout a lantern astern to warn
off sailing craft which might otherwise
have the misfortune to run us down."
"So that your voyage to England
proved a long one?"
"Such a long one. my dear Mr. sMore
land." returned Hillington, "that I ar?
rived in England three days later than I
would have done if I had avoided the
Africa and laken tbe next I', at 0.
steamer. Then I lost n day and a hall
In London. Had I avoided both of the
delays, I could have readily been at The
Kims last Monday!"
Itadal started imperceptibly as he re?
called a fact Mis. Moreland had stated
to .lessie, namely, that the mysterious
noises, footsteps.and movements of which
she had complained had become particu?
larly noticeable on thc preceding Mon
dav.
[TO BE CONTINUED. |
It is believed that the hollyhock was
brought to Europe from China as early
as the vear 1573.
THE NEWS,
Mamie keating, aged seventeen years, died
near Allentown, Pa,, from blood poisoning,
caused by tx rat's bite.-The First National
Bruk, at Kankakee, m.. closed ita doors.
Assets f3M,000, liabili.ios il 17.000.-The
Pittsburg, Akron nnd Western Railroad
passed into the Lauds of a leceiver.
Thomas aud Michael t ornellan were killed,
and Wm. Diskin, of Bennion, Pa., was teiri
blv mangled by being struck by an oppress
(rain near Pittsburg, Pa. ?Town Marshal
T. J. Blank a id -dwan) Graham, a tough
shot and killel each other in Parkland, near
Louisville, Ky. Three lobbers ntthepoints
of pistols, compelled an express messenger
lo hand over 17,600, at Wichita, Kat.
'Iho Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions
lent a request to Secretary of State (iresham
requesting that the government inke actloD
in reference to (he assault on Miss Anna Mel?
ton, a missionary in Asiatic Turkey.
Abram Pardoo, paying teller of the First Na
liotinl Bank of Patterson, N. J..was arrested.
charged with tbe defa'catton of $10,500.?
The Pennsylvania Railroad Comp my will
run exeur ions to Chicago for its employes.
-Tho Valley road from Cambridge to
Mar etta, one hundred miles, line been sold
to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.?
At Hamilton, O.. tbeHacNsale A L'rban Safe
and Lock Company, one of the oldest safe
.raisin tba country, assigned lo Howard
Douglass, of Cincinnati. Assets -jiGO.COO;
liabilities unknown;
The II. M. frown Dry Goods Company, of
Cleveland, o., madar aa assignment.?The
Internal;.'nnl Typographical Union had *30,
00) in the Indianapolis National Bank which
failed Tuesday-Two children of William
Caynoti tx f.rrmer of Muncie, Ind., fell out of
a hay-mow and Wero instantly killed.-D.
B. I.uwenthal k Son, and M. I.. Levy ar Son,
wholesale- whiskey dealers of Natbvllje,
Tenn., made assignments.-Twenty-seven
people were- madesiok by milk obtained from
ono dai y in Louisvi le, Ky.-During a
windstorm in Chesterfield county.Va., James
A. Jones was killed, and Capias Dillon, 9 ri
ously injury! by a treo falling upon them.
-Fire at Ashland, near Richmond, Va.,
burned out a number of stores. Total loss
about ??:'0,(.0G, iusurance $12,000.-The
forty-seventh anntversy of Liberia's inde
peadenee waa celebrated at the Exposition
by the dedication of that country's pavilion
in the Agricu dural building.-The annual
convention of the North American United
Caledonia Association was opened in the
First Methodist Episcopal Church, Chicago.
-Jacob Heinze and Henry Kaiser were
convicted in St. Lcuis of tbe murder of Ed
Win E. Brown, a wealthy citizen, on the
hight of March 2 last.-The failure of H.
I. Nicho'ns A Co., membere of the New York
Btoek Exchange, was announced. The firm
ls composed of H. I. Nicholas, John D.
Nicholas, Walter C. Taylor and Marcus
M lyer. The linn was considereal quite a
prominent one In Stock Exchange circles.
Two boilers of tho Belleville Distilling
Company explode i at St. Loirs, tearing the
boilerhouse to fragments, and badly wreck,
ing part of the main building. A portion o;
ruij of Ihe boilers was blown a distance of
two bundled and loy feet Nobody was
hurt; damage ?20,000.-Princo Yorihito ol
Japan will shortly visit. Ihe United States.
-At Brooklyn, nu engineer on the tug G.
W. Wright was drowned by rx collision wi.h
the tug P. W. Vosburgh.-Arbuckle Bros.
Ario.-a ctr e mill, of Brooklyn, wh eh dosed
down a few days ago, iesumed operations on
a limited seale. At Montreal, McDougall's
foundry w I destroyed by lire : 130 men amt
Of work. The employes of Ihe (lark O. N.
T. Thread Company, at Newark, N. J., batt
I.ti notified to w>rk on Short time.
Manufacturers of jewelry la Plainville, North
Attleboro, Attleboro Falls and Attleboro,
Haas., have closed their shops, owing to
bard linn s.-A receiTi r has i sen appoint?
ed for the Wilmington (Del.) Pental Manu?
facturing Company.- Maud McKibben, a
girl aged seventeen, was charged nt st.
Louis by tbe coroner wit') poisoning her
parents.-Three mea were blown all to
pieces by the explosion of a load of nitro?
glycerine near Pittsburg.
CABLE SPARKS.
TnF. Russian legation in Washington will
be raised to an embassy shortly.
I'm. Northumberland and Durham miners
have asked for an increase of wages.
Lr. John Bae, the artie explorer, died in
London, after a prolonged illness.
Tin: Maharajah of Toitoi Braga committed
nuicide at Brindisi, Italy, by taking poison.
TUM bark Pinnoro won the long-distnnce
ocean raco from San Francisco to Queens?
town.
The G merni Credit Company of I.omlon
hns suspended. The capital of the concern
is ?100,100.
The Latin Union has agreed that the 2,.?
silver franc piece shall be excluded from in?
ternational circulation.
A committee has been formed to make pre?
liminary arrangements for an international
exhibition iu Turin, Italy, iu 19 6.
The Aehinese passengers on bonni a Dutch
Meaner in East india murdered the captain
and 22 of the crew and then escaped.
The United States steamer Enterprise,
which is in commission as the Massachusetts
school ship, has arrived bj Southampton.
The date of election for members of the
French Chamber of Dep.tics has been llxed
for August 20th ; second ballots to beheld on
Beptember 3.
Thi Russian embnssy in Paris de?
nies the report thal Ba sin intends to dis?
patch cruisers to Toulon to take part in the
naval evolutions that will be held there
shortly.
The verdict of the Victoria court-martial
acquitted Captain Bourke and all the sur
vivois of any responsibility for Ihe disaster,
Whioh was attributed to Vice-Admiral Tryon's
orders.
The closing debate over the Homo Rule
bill in the House Ol Commons Committee
was marked by a SOSUe which ls slid to have
been unprecedented In parliamentary his?
tory. The disorder st irted while Jos?ph
Chamberlain wu speaking and his remarks
were s.. offensive that Mr O'Connor called
him--Judas," and the epithet was taken up
the irish members In chorus Soon a Iree by
light W IS started in front of thc chairman's
desk and several members wen* knocked
down. When peace was restored the bill
passed tho committee lina!ly.
A Day's Happenings ps Told
By the Wires,
FATAL WORK BY THE WIND.
The Financial Question Virginia
Legion of Honor Big Blaze at
Blackstone-Cumberland Ad
Justs Her Debt-James
Mays Crowned.
A wind storm which assumed almost Hie
proportions ot a hurricane passed orer Ches
terllelal county. Trees wjre uprooted and
barns uud fencing *ne Uvelesi t<* tb?
ground. While the stdnn Was at its height
James A. Jones, a well-known e;t:''en of
Petersburg, in company With a friend named
Capias Dillon, was driving up the turnpike
in Chesterfleiai county, just outside the
corporate limits, when a tree iras blown
down and Struck the .young nun i n the
head. Jon' s wars killed and Dillon badly in?
jured. Th.i'ir team co: fisted of a horse and
muld. The latter was c:ashed to d*>ut!i by
tho tree, ind the horse was! tidly injured.
The storm was also V<*ry sever' in Peters?
burg.
Charlotif-vii i f. A violent win 1, rain
nnd hail storm visited this vicinity. A louse
on the farm of .7. W. Port ir was moved sev?
eral yards I y the wind, and a quantity ol
fencing was destroyed. Lightning struck
(he new Monticello Ouard armory, nud a
mun near-by was-hocked. Hany trees were
U; rooted.
Cumberland Adjusts Her Debt.
Counsel from Hew York ; n 1 Richmond
representing all of th > toni- lamed by the
county of Cumberland in aid of tbe Far.n
villeand Powhatan railroad hal aconfett- e
with the new Donni of Supervisors of Cum?
berland county, and an crrangement was
made extremely sitisfaetor/to all parties.
O-Ving to the litigation as to the validity
Of the bonds, over -*i>,OOO of past-due cou?
pons and inter* st thereon w.ie tobe pro?
vided for when the Court of Appeals this
year affirmed the validity of the bonds.
Cumberland county, under the arrange?
ment, pays this year, and warrants have been
issued on the Tre isitrer therefor, some ol
which he has paid, about 04,000, which ia
tome 01,600 more than the annual interest
On the 5T').03) bonds At this rate the
county will get rid very shortiy of all
nrre irages.
The New York couns"l expressed gratifies
tion at the promptness of the settlement aud
the business way iu which the eouuty is now
me?tiug its obligations.
: There aro few corporations whioh euch
times n?S tbeso pay one year's interest in
full and also manage to reduce arrearages.
Big Blaze at Blackstone.
The large and commodious dwelling-home
on Broad strert, Blackstone, occupied by
Ber. M. P. Sanford, pastor of the Baptkt
church, and owned by Hon. J. W. Overlay,
of Luaenburg county, was discovered to bo
on Hr.* about H o'clock, an 1 despite tho
efforts of the citisent the building was en?
tirely consumed. Tho lo;sis &2.500. with no
Insunmee. Mr. Sanford was not at home.
His furniture was save! in a badly damaged
condition. J
The new dwelling of Mr. J. S. Robertson,
oa the north si e, a'so took fire anl wai
completely destroyed. M'. Robertson suc?
ceeded in moving most of his (urui ure, on
which there was an insurance of .*:J00. His
housewaa Insured for 0800 in the Peters
burg Savings and Insurance Company, Lat
this does not cover the loss. These build
ingf coull Inave reen Bared but for tho
Boareity of water in that portion of.the
town. Mrs. Moone, a sister of Mis. Ilobert
B*n. who was sick in bed al the lime of the
fire ami had to be remove I to a place of
safety, ls now In a very precarious condition,
the excitement baring prostrated her.
No Trace of Mrs. Coflin.
The whereabouts of Mrs. J. W. Collin, w' o
disopp Bred Irom hr homo in ( harlottcs
viii.- are as mu.di ot a mystery as on tin1 day
of her disappearance. A thorough search
baa been made in the city of Washington,
where it was thought by some that she had
gone. The opinion seem- lo ba growing that
her min 1 was unbalan led arid that slur has
committed suicide. A party of friends and
sympath'sers nvide a thorough search for
the miesing lady in Ihe vicinity of the
woolen mills, and a large party went to ile'
liivauua for the purpose of alraggiug the
stream. Mr. Collin and his sons are still in
Washington, I ut will return and eontiuue
the search al Charlottesville. Mr. William
Lruiu, brother-in-law of Mrs. Collin, was in
Charlottesville but . ould throw no light on
tbe unfortunate affair. The letter written to
him by the missing lady was about busiues8
Burl contained no reference whatever as to
her intentions.
_
Virginia Court of Appeals.
The Court of Appeals rendered decisions
in the following cases: Woblford vs.
Trinklo, from Wyllie county, deer*'e re?
versed; opinion by Judge Lewis. Scott VB.
Norfolk and Western Railroad, from Taee
well county, judgement affirmed ; opihiou by
Judge Lacy. Higgenbotham vs. May, from
Taaewell county, dec ce reversed ; opinion
by Judge Hinton. Norfolk and Western
Railroad Company vs. Draper, from Wyllie
county, judgment affirmed; opinion by
Judge Fauntleroy. Rehearings were granted
in the following < tt ie : Morrison vs. Wil?
kinson, Virginia Development Co. vs. Crozier
Iron Co., Wood vs. Dicky, Robinson vs.
Commercial and Farmers'Link. The court
adjourned after holding tho longest session
ever held in Wythevillo and one of the
longest continuous sessions ever held.
The Financial Question.
The members of the NT ite Hoard of Agri?
culture, which adjourned alter electing a
successor of tho late President Butherlln, ap?
pear very much in crested in the present
financial problems. The body is composed
of one member from 'radi of the teu CongKS;
eion ii d.StrlctS in the State. The gentlemen
are supposed to bc among tho most intel.i
gent aud representative Bgri< ulturlsts in
Virginia. The views of Mr. S. W.'Ilford
Corbin, of Prin' e George, whose name was
nt one time prominently mentioned as a ean
didate for Assistant Secretary of Agriculture,
are well-known. Hohas long advocated nu
incrensed volume of currency. These views,
His said, were used against Mr. Corbin to
prevent bim from securing the appointment
to which be a-pired.
Vir-rlnia Legion of Honor.
The ('rand Council, Legion of Honor,
cl. sed its session at Ocean View. The fol?
lowing omcers w. re sleeted i past errand
commander, T. C. Morton. BUuatoa \ grand
commauder. w. \v. Altey, Leesburg; grand
vice-commander, A. W. Now.in. L nehburg;
grand orator. W. J. McDowell, Richmond;
grand s ?<? etary L. C Lavis. Bicbmond|
grand treasurer. Chas. E. Minden. PortS
mouth ; grand a'.iiiphiiu, S. H. Baundle, Nor?
folk, tfraiael mis.'.-. 1'.. .1 V. . . ,,,-.,. I.. Jr.,
Richmond ?. grand warden, d. NY. Tyson;
grand sentry, c. H. Dont. Tbe grand coun?
cil will :i.cet next year in Staunton.
Fell Thirty Feet.
Mr. Ru lolph Hawker, an employee of thai
Richmond and Danville Railroad Company,
while unloading a Mr of coal ai the abate
near Manchester, fell from the aeiffold to tho
ground, a al isl an co of about thirty feet, and
was very painfully ami I triOUSly injure I. Ha
was cirrio t to hh borne, at the corner of
Eleventh and Ballroad streets, aad Dr* W.
p. Matthews sad J. M.Whitefield summoned.
The physicians found the injured man sulTer
ing with tiie lower part of his back and spine
and temporary paralysis of the lowes limbs.
New Lodge of Odd-Fellows.
An w lodge of the Independent Order ol
Odd-FelloWS, known as Columbia Lodge,
No. 'I, was instituted at ihe Academy ot
Music, Norfolk, with 169 members, Grand
Master Thomas N. Kendler, ..( Richmond,
and (irand-Repn sentfltive James H. lil mks
assisted in tin' work. c. 1'. Hargrove wm
Installed as noble grand. V banquet fol?
lowed the work about midnight and a
number of visitors from other dtieawere
present.
Cen. Lee's Boots and Coat.
At tho request of Colonel Morton Marye,
Auditor of Virginia, writes the WaehiagtOfl
correspondent of the Alexandria Gavotte.
Congressman Meredith called upon Ilia*
Commissioner of customs at th" Treasury
Department and Obtained an order for tho
r*lea-e of a pair of boots an I a c iat that be?
longed to General If. E. bee, now held at tho
custom-house in New York. They had b> I B
s mt abroad to the sculptor of the General's
monument, who has returned them.
A Probable Fatal Row.
News reached Pulaski thal a row occurred
nt "derIha, in Wythe county, on the North
Carolina extension of the Norfolk and West- '
era railroad; and as the result of it .lama's
Cleaves, an employee of the Hertha /.me
Company, to dying from effects ol wounds
received, and J. C. Tonnes is under arr
charged with the crime. The weapon n
as testified to by his brother was hra-s
knuckles. Other parties engaged hare es?
caped to No th Carolina. Whiskey was tho
cause of it.
Sport Led to Death.
James Mays was drowned in the North
River below Lexington. Ile was fishing from
a dam for bass timi fell oil bis seat on some,
rocks meier the dam. He was a good
swimmer but the fall Manned bim. liefs
tbe same young maa who shot himself last
winter while out hunting by attempting to
dislodge a rabbit in a hole with tbe butt of
his gnu. He had just recovered from the ef?
fects of the wound.
Probably Fatal Shooting Affray.
At the house of Henry stanlev. in tho
northern part of Rasia; City, while tin' col?
ored population was enjoying a dance, a
difficulty OCCUrred about 10 O'clock between
John Lesley ami George Tarey, in which
Lesley shot Tarey twice with a pistol Di .
Austin and ('rifllth were Oalled in and
probed, for tin1 balls, but up to this lime havo
not been able to lind them. The wound may
prove fatal. So far Lesley has evaded the
officers.
A Deed of Trust Recorded.
The Hitchcock Trego Land anl number
Company of Emporia, made a deed ad trust
a few day-since, it conveys all the assets
of the company, real and personal, and
franchises, eb'., to Charles J. Bobbitt as
trustee. The amount of the liabilities is not
stated. The deed was prepare 1 by White at
Garnett, attorneys, of Norfolk.
Death of Mr. L. Erb.
Mr. L. Erb died ut the home a>f Mr. F. H.
Wittier, near Mount Jackson, iii Shenandoah
county aged eighty-three. Mr. Erb hud
nindi' his home with Dr. H. W. Stone for
several yea s. Two children survive him
Mri. F. H. Wittier and Mrs. R. W. Stone.
His body was i tarred in tbe family burying
t rounds at Columbia Pu moe.
No Small-Pox In Lunenburg.
The County Board of Supervisors assen*
bled at Lunenburg Courthouse an 1 reorgan?
ised, with Hon. w. c. Winn ss chairman.
Resides regular routine business a report
was niaale to the effect thal no small-pox
existed in the vicinity of Lunenburg eouuty.
Serious Accident to a Child.
Harvey Sneliiags, the live-year-old son. of
H. W. Siielhnr-s. of Danville, fell from the
shed ajf a barn on lils lather's lot to the
ground, a distance of fifteen feet, breaking
his leg between the thigh and kine. The
injury is very serious.
A Youiib Lady Killed by Lightning.
Luring a seven storm Mitt K -a Mayo
was struck by lightning at her father's home
in Cumberland county, and was instantly
kill rd. The young lady was a daughter of
Lr, A. A. Mayo,
