University of South Carolina Libraries
THOS. J. ADAMS, PROPRIETOR. EDGEFIELD, S. C., THURSDAY MARCH 17, 1892. VOL. LVn. NO. IO. WHAT WAS IT? "I confess, Hammond,*' I re plied to my friend, "I never considered the subject before That there must be ono something more terrible than any other thing . I feel. I cannot attempt, however, even the most vague definition. "Iain somewhat like you, Harry, he answered. "I feel my capacity to experience a terror greater than anything'yet conceived by th? human mind. Something com bin ing in fearful un D atural amalgam a tion, hitherto supposed incompati ble elements. The calling of tho voices in Brockden Brown's novel of 'Wieland' is awful; so is the picture of the Dweller of the Threshold in Bulwer's 'Zahoni but," he added, shaking his head gloomily; "there ?B something mope horrible still than these." "Look here, Hammond," rejoined: "let us drop this kind of talk for Heaven's sake. We * shall suffer for it, depend on it." ( "I don't know what's the matter with me to-night," he replied, "but my brain is running upon all sorts of weird and awful thoughts, I feel as if I could write a story like Hoffman to-night, If I were ->nly master of a literary style." "Well, if we are going to bc Hoff manes que in our talk I'm, off to bed. Opium and nightmares should never be brought together. How^sultry it is! Good night. . Hammond." "Good night, Harry. Pleasant dreams to you." "To you, gloomy wretch, afreets, ghouls, and enchanters." We parted, and each sought his respective chamber,! undressed quickly and got into bed, taking with me, according to my usual custom, a book, over which I gen erally read myself to sleep. I opened the volume as soon as I had laid my head upon the pillow, and instantly flung it to the other side of the room. It was Goudon's "History of Monsters"--a curious French' w<^"w]?rio^J-"h'?? io- the state of mind I was then in, was anything but an agreeable companion. I resolved to go to sleep at once ; so turning down my gas until nothing but a little blue point of light glimmered ou the top of the tube, I com posed myself to rest once more. The room was in total darkness. The atom of gas that still remained lighted did not illuminate a dis tance of three inches round the burner. " I desperately drew my arm across my eyes, as if to shut out even the darkness, and tried to think of nothing. It was in vain. The confounded themes touched on by Hammond in the garden kept obtruding themselves on my brain. I battled against them. I erected ramparts of would be blankness of intellect to keep them out. They still crowded upon me. While I was lying still as a corpse, hoping that by a perfect physical inaction I would hasten mental repose, an awful incident occurred. A Something dropped, as it seemed, from the ceiling plumb upon my chest, and the next instant I felt two bony hands encircling my throat, endeavoring to choke me. I am nojeoward, and am posses sed of considerable physical strength. The suddenness of the attack instead of stunning me strung every nerve to its highest tension- My body acted from instinct, before my brain had time to realize the torrors of my position. In an instant I wound two muscu lar arms around the creature, and squeezed it, with all the strength of despair, against my chest. In a few seconde the bony hands that fastened on my throat loosened their hold, and I was free to brea tb a once more. Then com menced a struggle of awful intensity. Immersed in the most profound darkness, totally ignor ant bi'the nature of the Thing by which I was so suddenly attacked, finding my grasp? slipping every moment hy reason, it seemed to me, of the entire nakedness of my assailant, bitten with sharp teeth in the shoulder, neck, and chest, having every ^moment to protect my throat against a pair of sinewy, agile hands, which my utmost efforts could not confine-these were a combination of circum stances to combat which required all the strength and skill and courage that I possessed. At last, after a silent, deadly, exhausting.'struggle, I got my assailant under by a series ?of 8 incredible efforts of ? strength. Once pinned, with my knee on what I made oat to be its chest, I knew that I was victor. I rested for a moment to breathe. I heard the creature beneath me panting in the darkness, and felt the vio lent throbbing of a heart. It was apparently as exhaused as I was, rhat was one comfort. . At this moment I remembered that I usually placed under my pillow, before going to bed, a^large. yellow 3ilk pockethan?ierc?nef. I felt for it instantly ; it was there. In i few seconds more I , had, after i fashion, pinioned the oreature 's inris. I now -felt tolerably secure. Hiere waa nothing more to be lone bat to tura on the gas, and, laving m?st seen what my mid night assailant was like, arouse the household. I will confess to jeing actuated by a certain pride in not giving the alarm before : I dished to make the capture alone md unaided. Never loosing my hold for an nstant, I slipped from the bed to ;he floor, dragging my captive rith me. I had but a few steps o make the reach the gas-burner ; hese I made with the greatest caution, holding the creature in a ?Tip like a vise. At last I got with n arm's length of the tiny speck >f blue light, whi ;h told me wheie ;he gas-burner lay. Quick as ightning I released my grasp with me hand and let on the fu?2 flood >f light. Then I turned to look it my captive. I cannot even attempt to give my definition of my sensations he instant after I turned on the ?as. I suppose I must have shrkied rah terror, for in less than nirmte aftei,v&rd my room was rowded with the inmates of the louse. I shudder now as I think >f that awful moment. I saw no hing! Yet; I-had one-arm firmly lasped round a breathing, panting orporeal shape, my other hand gripped with all its_ strength a hr oat as warm, and apparently his living substance in my grasp rith its body pressed against my wn. and all in the bright glare of large jet of gss, I absolutely be eld nothing! Not even an outline -a vapor ! I do not even at this hour realize iie situation in which I found ry self. I cannot recall the astound ig incident thoroughly. Imagina ion in vam tries to compass the wful paradox. It breathed. I felt its warm roath Upon my cheek. It strug led fiercely. It had hands. They lutched me. Its skin was smooth, ust like my own. There it lay, ressed close up against me, solid B stone-and yet utterly invisible ! I wonder that I did not faint or 0 mad on the instant. Some onderful instinct must have astained me ; for, absolutely, in lace of loosening my hold on the arrible Enigma, I seemed to gain nd additional strength in my loment of horror, and tightened ly graBp with such wonderful orce that I felt the creature havering with agony. Just then Hammond entered ly room dt the head of the house old. As soon aa he beheld my ice-which, I suppose, must have eon an awful sight to look at-he astened forward, crying : "Great Heaven ! what has hap ened?" "Hammond, Hammond," I cried, come here. Oh, this is awful. I ave been attacked in bed by some aing or other, which I have hold f: but I can't see it, I can't see . ?J Hammond, doubtless struck by ie unfeigned horror expressed in ly countenance, made one or two ;eps forward with an anxious yet uzzled expression. A very audi le titter burst from the remainder 1 my visitors. The suppressed lughter made me furious. To lugh at a being in my position ! k was the worst Bpeci^s of cruelty, ow, I can understand why the ppearance of a man struggling iolently, as it would seem, with a airy nothing, and calling for ?sistance against a vision, should ave appeared ludicrous. Then, ) great was my rage against the locking crowd that had I the ower I would have stricken them sad where they stood. "Hammond, Hammond," I cried jain, despairingly, "for God,s ike come to me, I can hold the ie Thing but a short while longer. ; is overpowering me. Help me. [elpme!" "Harry," whispered Hammond, n i r ti fc C o Ll 8 ii tl V e; ri w tc c< b ? tc cc tc a< b< in A e th al ti] de di th ne ui th e ye nc th tl approaching me, "you have , bec smoking too much opium." "I swear to you, Hammond, th ;his is no vision," I answered, : he same low tone. "Don't y< iee how it shakes my whole fran vith its sturggles? If you don jelieve me convince yourself.- Fei t-touch it." Hammond advanced and lai lis hand in the spot I indicates. ^ wild cry of horror burst froi dm He had felt it ! In a moment he had discovere pmewhere in my room a ? lon ?ieee of cord, and waB th? nex nstant winding it and knotting : t about the body of the unsee; >eing that I clasped in my anni "Harry," he said, in a hoars agitated voice, for, though h ?reserved his presence of mind, h ras deeply moved, Harrys it's al afe now. You may let go, ol ellow, if you're tired. The Thin an't move." I was utterly exhausted, and gladly loosed my hold. Hammond stood holding th nds of the cJrd that bound th nvisible, twisted round his hanc chile before him, self-supporting s it were, he beheld a rope lacei nd interlaced, and stretchinj ightly around a vacant space, lever saw a man look so thorough!; tricken with awe. Neverthelesf is face expressed all the courage nd determination which I knev ;im to possess. His lips, al hough white, were set firmly, an( ne could perceive at a glanct aat, although stricken with fear, e was not daunted. The confusion that ensucc mong the guests of the house 'ho. were witnesses of thii xtraordiriary scene between Ham load and myself-who behelc tie pantomime of binding this truggling Something-who be eld me almost sinking from phy ical exhaustion when my task ol liler was over-the confusion and error that took possession of ihe ystanders, when they saw all his, was beyond d?seription ?any of 'the'wea?c?f1 ones fled fron he apartment. The few whe emaiued behind clustered neai he door, and could not be inducec 0 approach Hammond and hil Jharge. Still incredulity brok? ut though their terror. They had lot the courage to satisfy them slves, and yet they doubted. It wai a vain that I begged of some ol tie men to come near and con ince themselves by touch, of the xistence of a living being in that Dom which was inv.sible. They ere incredulous, but did not dare ) undeceive themselves. How mid a solid, living, breathing ody be invisible? They asked, [y reply was this. I gave a sign > Hammond, and both of us mquering our fearful repugnance ? touching the invisible creature -lifted it from the ground, mau led as it was, and took it to my 3d. Its weight was about that of boy of fourteen. "Now, my friend," I said, as hammond and myself held the .eature suspended over the bed, [ can given you self-evident roof that here is a solid, pond?ra le body which, nevertheless, you innot see. Bo good enough to atch the surface of the bed tentively." 1 was astonished at my own ?urage in treating thie strange rent so calmly ; but I had recov ed from my first terror, and felt sort of scientific pride in the fair which dominated every her feeling. The eyes of the bystanders were imediately fixed on my bed. t a given signal Hammond and I tthe creature fall. There was e dull sound of a heavy body ighting on a soft mass. The cubers ot the bed creaked. A tep impression marked itself stinctly on the pillow, and on e bed itself. The crowd who wit issed this gave a sort of low, liversal cry, and rushed from e room. Hammond and I were ft alone with our Mystery. We remained silent for some me, listening to tho low, irregular eathing of the creature on the >d, and watching the rustle of ie bed-clothes as it impotently niggled to free itself from con lement. Then Hammond spoke. "Harry, this is awful." "Ay, awful." "But not unaccountable." "Not unaccountable! What do m mean? "Such a thing has ?ver occurred since the birth of ie world. I know not what to tink, Hammond. God grant that ? . I am not mad,, and that this is no an insane fantasy 1" "Let ns reason ii little, Harrj Here is a solid body which w touch, but which we cannot see The fact is so unusual that i strikes us with terror. Is there ni parallel, though, for such a pheno menon? Take a piece of. pun glass. It is tangible and transpar en t. A certain chemical coarse ness is all that prevents its beinj so entirely transparent as to, b( totally invisible. It is no theoretically impossible, minc y bu, to fabricate a glass whicl shall not reflect a single ray- of light-a glass so pure and homo genou s in its atoms that the rays from the sun shall pass through ii as they do through tho air, re fracted but not reflected; We dc not see the air, and yet wefeelit.', "That's all very well, Hammond, but these are inanimate substan ces. Glass does not- breathe, ail does not breathe. This thing, has a heart that palpitates. A will thai moves it. Lungs that play and inspiro and respire." "You forget the strange pheno mena of which we have so often heard of late." answered the Doc tor, gravely. "At the meetinge called 'spirit circles,' invisible hands have been thrust into the hands of those persons round the table-warm fleshly hands that seemed to pulsate with mortal life." . "What? Do you think, then, that this thing is-" "I don't know what it is," was the solemn reply ; "but please the gods I will, with your assistance, thoroughly investigate it." We watched together, smoking many pipes, all night long by the bedside ^of the unearthly being that tossed and panted until it was apparently wearied out. Then we learned by the low, regular breath ing that it slept. The next morning the house was all astir. The boarders con gregated on the landing outside' ray room, and Hammond and my self were Hone. We 4tad M?-'^'J swer a thousand questions as to the state of our extraodinary prisoner, for as yet not one person in the house except ourselves could be induced to set foot in the apartment. The creature was awake. ThiB was evidenced by the convulsive manner in which the bed-clothes were moved in its efforts to escape. There was something truly terri ble in beholding, as it were, those second-hand indications of the terrible writhings and agonized struggles for liberty, which them selves were invisible. Hammond and myself had racked our brains during the long night to discover some means by which we might ' realize the shape and general appearance of the Enigma. As well as we could make out by passing our hands over the crea ture's from, its outlines and linea ments were human. There was a mouth; a round smooth head without hair ; a nose, which, how ever, was a little elevated above the cheeks ; and its hand and feet felt like those of a boy. At first we thought of placing the be ing on a smooth surface and tracing its outline with chalk, as shoemakers trace the outline of the foot. This plan would give us the solid figure, and satisfy all our wishes. But how to do it? The movements of-the creature would disturb the setting of the plastic' covering, and distort the mould. Another thought. Why not give it chloroform? It had respiratory organs-that was evident by its breathing. Once reduced to a state of -insensibility, we could do with it what we would. Doctor X-was sent for ; and after the worthy physician had recovered from the first shock of amaze ment, he proceeded to administer the chloroform. In three minutes afterward we were enabled to remove the fetters from the creature's body, and a well known modeler of this city was busily engaged in covering the invisible from with the moist clay. In five minutes more we had a mould and before evening a rough fac-simile of tho Mystery. It was shaped like a man. Distorted, unconth, and horrible, but still a maDv It was small, not over four feet and some inches in height, and its limbs betrayed a muscular development that was unparalleled. Its face surpassed in hideousness anything that I had ever seen. Gustave Dore, or Cal lot, or Tony Johannot never conceived any thing so horrible. There is a face -in one of the latter's illustrations to "Un voyage ou il vous plaira," which somewhat approaches the countenance of this creature, but does not equal it. It was the phy siognomy of what I should have fancied a ghoul to be. It looked as if it was capable of feeding on human flesh. Having satisfied our curiosity, and bound every one iu the house over- to secrecy, it became- a ques tion what was to be done with our Enigma? It was impossible that we' should keep such a horror in in, our house; it was equally impossible that such an awful be ing Bhould be let ' ose upon the world. I cor j that I would gladly have A for t hecreature's destruction But who would shoulder tiie responsibility? Who would undertake the execution of this horrible semblance of ahuman being? Day after day this ques tion was deliberated gravely. The boarders all left the house. Mrs. Moffat was in despair, and threa tened Hammond and myself with assort of legal penalties if we d?d not remove the Horror, Our answer was, "We will go if you like, but we decline taking this creature with us. Remove it your self, if you please. It appeared in y?ur house. On you the respon sibility rests." To this there was, o| course, no answer. Mrs. Moffat c?uld not obtain for love or money a|person who would even approach the Mystery. ^?The most singular part of the transaction was, that we were en i?r?ly ignorant of what the creature habitually fed on. Everything in the way of nutriment that we $ould think of was placed before it,' but was never touched. It was awful to stand by. day after day, and see the clothes toss and hear the hard breathing, and know that if was starving. Ten, twelve days, a fortnight passed, and it still lived. The Ipulsations of the heart, howaver, rarere daily growing fainter, .'and ?ad now nearly ceased. altogether. |It was evident that the creature .??s trying for want of sustenance. While this terribie life-struggle was going on I felt miserable. ? I could not sleep of nights. Horrible a's the creature was, pitiful to think of the pangs it was suff ering. At last it died. Hammond and I found it cold and stiff one morn ing in the bed. The heart had ceased to beat, the lungs to in spire. We hastened to bury it in the garden. It was a strange funeral, the dropping of that view less corpse in the damp hole. The cast of its form I gave to Doctor X-, who keeps it in his museum at Tenth Street. As I am on the eve of a long journey from which I may not re turn, I have drawn up this narra tive of an event the most singular that has over come to my knowl edge. HARRY ESCOTT. "Bridge the Chasm." The political barometer now indicates fair weather. The excitement attending the election has died away ; deep "bureied is the bloody hatchet" beneath the victors' spoils' and from*t?he "pipe of peace" floats the aroma of the incense of perfect "unity." The delicate operation ^bridging the chasm" depends solely upon the jounty commissioners, who from this day are at liberty to begin the work, and a first-class suspen sion across that yawning crevice is the expected of them. This finished, 9very vestige of party feeling will have disappeared; with Sym pathy's best handkerchief (done ap with staroh), tears will be stricken off gently from the blinded eyes of the defeated oflficeseeker ; others besides candi dates will heartily hake hands and cheerfully lend fifteen cents and more cheerfully borrow a dollar thirty, and a Democartic "Love Feast" (so to speak), for admission to which no Third Partyite need apply, will prevail, and business, not politics, occupy the thoughts af men-for nearly two whole years. Let us rejoice at the prospect ; yea let us sit down tailor fashion in the middle of the streets under ?ow umbrellas, and shed tears of joy into bright red bandannas. Let us give thanks that the day haB at last come when "A nact entitled a nact to amend a nact," Bte,., shall be 90 amended to per mit the restoration of that grand old custom' inde8pensible to law makers in the Halls of Legis lation-tho eating of pindserby by the peck-Orar.geburg Enter prise. Have your Buggy painted and remodeled at G. B. Courtney's re pair shop. DESTRUCTION-DESOLATION [MARK THE PATH OP THE NEWBERRY CYCLONE. Graphic Story of Tuesday' Ter rific Storm-Fearful Forcd of the Wind-A Similar Storm in Upper Newherrv. PROSPERITY, Sept." 14.--To-day your correspondent visited the track of yesterday's cyclone, six miles south of this place. Relia ble persons living in and near the path of the storm describe the condition of the atmosphere as be ing exceedingly sultry and humid and heavily charged with electric ity just previous to the storm. While speaking of these unusual conditions, a very dark cloud of purple hue, funnel shaped, was seen approaching at a great velocity from the southwest, which seemed to be sweeping and licking up the very earth. Persons near the edge say that twe motions were plainly observable-that of the rotary and that of the whirling motion. The elements raged and swayed with awful grandeur and fearful terror. The cloud seemed to laugh at the ease with which it twisted off the tall pines and stately oaks and hickory, and lifting them whirling and spinning high in the air, car rying them for miles in some in stances, and then dashing them to the earth with fearful velocity and force. Devastation and desolation mark the cyclone's path, which, fortu nately, is not exceeding 300 yards in width and about ten miles in length-or at least this is the ex tent of our knowledge at present. Yet in this narrow strip the wreck is complete. The roaring of the wind as it accomplished its work of destruction is described by some as the noise of many trains mov ing at a high rate of speed ; by others (old soldiers) as the noise bf a terrific and continuous heavy canonading. During the passage of the storm centre the elements were tottan ex traordinary high srat? of cb?m?o^[l tion and excitement, and for miles on either side the earth trembled sensibly. The atmosphere was in a constant state of trembling and agitation. Words fail to describe the awful sublimity and destructive force of this storm. Nothing approaching it in terror or destructiveness has ever occurred in this county. The oldest people here have never ex perienced the like before. Hundreds of people are visiting the storm path to-day-some for curiosity, some for information, and many to assist those in distress and need. The cloud first struck the earth in an open cotton field on Z. W. Taylor's plantation, near Smoky Town. No open cotton is left in the field, and much of the green fruit is twisted and torn from the stalks. It continued its path to Wash Dominicks, a well-to-do colored man. His out-buildings are all blown away and his dwelling dam aged. His mules are all more or less injured and one horse will die. His corn and cotton crops in the storm track are compl?tely ruined. Passing through the plantations of H. P. Dominick and G. M. Bowers, laying everything waste, it struck the residence of John Riddle, a tenant on Mike Bowers's place. Fortunately Mr. Riddle nor any of his. family were at home. His dwelling and every out-building is razed to the ground. Not a vestige of clothing, bedding, furniture or food of any kind re mains-all is lost. There are some strange phenomena on this place connected with the cyclone. There is, or rather was, a ten acre' cotton field on this place, very rocky. These rocks, which are flint, were driven from either side to the storm centre, and are piled in a row as if hauled there for the pur pose of making a dam. In this field and in some other places in the track, are excavations in the earth, six or eight feet in circum ference and two feet deep, made by the force of the whirling wind. The earth is also cracked at these places as if by an earthquake. The excavat ions resemble a hole made by a large blast of powder. From Riddle'! the storm passed to Locust Grove Academy and Drayton I. Long's place. The academy is completely demolished. There was no one in the building at the time. Mr. Long's place is in a most pitiable condition. Every outbuilding on his place is completely destroyed and his dwelling razed from its founda tions and set about fifteen feet from its site. Strange to say neither Mr. Long nor his family, received any bodily injury. Ha has lost nearly everything. Even his floor, which was in barrels, is a total loss. The great force of the storm tore the barrels asunder and the flour passed into the goneral confusion of dust, rocks and debris of every character. To day at least a hudred people are assisting Mr. Long to erect other buildings and to relieve his dis tress in other substantial manner. The storm then passed through the plantation of Adam Hartman, ' ealing utter destruction in its narrow path. It then struck G, Mike Sheely's place, where it played havoc with bis outbuildings, tearing away a part of his dwelling end blowing lown his chimneys and doing much other damage to orchard and crops. It even entered the family burying ground and snap ped off the tombstones at the ?round as so many reeds. We next find the storm in all its fury at the residence of Mr Fohn A. Sheely, where his beauti ful residence and every outbuilding s completely demolished. Mr. sheely did not succeed in getting lis children out of the house, as jtated in my telegram, but he and bis seven children were in the louse when the crash came but iscaped unhurt. Mrs. Sheely did lot reach the house, but she and me of her sons were caught in i falling telegraph wire from which hey could not disengage them ielves, and were rescued in an inconscious condition. She . was ;erribly charged with electricity, md today is lying in a critieal ?ondition from prostration and ihattered nerves. Mr. Sheely's OBS ii very heavy. One of his nules was blown 150 yards, but loes not seem to be much injured. \Iany sympathizing friends and ?eighbors are at ' work today re ??vi?g**"the debris and r making reparations to put up other buildi ngs. A nice subscription was aised here in town for Mr. Sheely oday. After leaving Sheely's place for .bout half a mile, the cyclone left he earth and passed into the air. )nly the hand of Providence aved those good people. Chickens ,nd stock were killed, but no luman beiugs. At Mr. Sheely's ilace several chickens were found lead, with the feathers blown ntirely off them- whether his or tot it is impossible to tell. Near Mr. Sheely's place was a rove of large hickory trees, not ne of which .is. left standing, lome were torn ' upi by the roots ome broken off, and some twisted: ff. - : . J . . r At Mike Sheely's it seems that he positive and ' negative poles ecame detached and two tracks aark the patch for about a mile, rhen they again united with a sarful crash. Today everything a the pathj^trees and vegetation, ppear to be dead. It is impossible to compute be losses, but they are exceedingly eavy.-The State. What The Editor (Jets. When a child is born into the rorld the physician is the presen sd and gets about $10 for officia ing at the important event. The ditor heralds the advent of the tran ger and gets a cursing for laking a mistake as to the sex nd date of arrival. After a while the child becomes man, the minister is called to erform the marriage ceremony nd walks off with a $10 bill in is pocket for his trouble. The ditor is again called npon to hronicle this event by drawing n his imagination to make the iride and groom the best and nost respectable people in the ountry. His onlv pay is to be sked for a few extra copies of is paper to send to some absent riends. In time the once baby, once appy groom, but now a man rell advanced in years, is brought own by death. Again the phy ician is called in aad makes his ill, the undertaker is present nd officiates ot the funeral, and n time wants $100 for performing he last sad rites, while the editor 3 expected to complete the drama y holding up the deceased as a aodel gentleman, and one who t present is flying up the golden tairs. The probabilities are at he same time that the baby, room and the dead man have leen so infernally stingy that he iad stinted his wife and children nd had never contributed/ one ent to the support of his local taper. What dose the editor get? He ets left.-Middleton (Pa.) Advo* ate CHOLERA jj NEV YORK. OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED BY THE BOARD OF HEALTH. Five Deaths Within the Past Seven Days-No Fears Enter tained of the Plague Be coming Epidemic. NEW YORK, Sept. 14.-The board of health this afternoon officially \ announced five deaths from Asias tic cholera in this city, as follows : Charles McEveryy who died Sep tember 6th, at 879 Tenth avenue ; Mrs. Sophia WiggmaL, died Sep tember 10th, at 768 Eleventh avenue; William Wiggman, hus band of Sophia, died at same ad dress on following day; Minnie Levanger, a child, died September 11th, at 411 East Forty-sixth street; Charlotta Beck, aged 30, died at 464 Second avenue. Prof. Herman Biggs, who is in charge of the division of pathology and bacteriology of the health de partment, has been at work mak ing bacteriological examination of the intestinal fluids taken from the bodies of these suspected cases. Prof. Biggs reported to the hoalth# department this afternoon the re sult of an examination, i,nd an nounced unhesitatingly that the cases were Asiastic cholera, beyond a doubt. The medical commissioner of " the Health Board, Dr. Bryant, said to-day : "I do not think that tho disease will become epidemic." This, he says, is almost assured, from the fact that no suspicious cases have occurred since yester day. "There seems to be but little danger," said Dr. Bryant, "so far, and the public need not be alarm ed. Every precaution has been taken by the Board of Health to combat and crush the disease wherever it may appear." Dr. Edson, of the bureau of con tagious diseases, was also of the opinion that there will be no chol era epidemic here. "I think its spread will be less than the typhus . feyer." said Be. "As to where the ??-O??{a-jc^.me^om,, it is the ques tion we are trying to solve. It iff iii the city, and it must have come from some outside source. It must have passed some quarantine. I think that before twenty-four hours we will have run down tho direction from which the diseaso came. There may be cases of spor adic cholera over the city, but I think the disease will be speedily overcome." The Chamber of Commerce up to 3 o'elock this afternoon reported that Treasurer J. Pierpont Morgan had secured $92,230 in subscrip tions to the quarantine emergency fund. Alarm in Charleston. : Charleston, Sept. 14.-News received here at 5 o'clock this evening, to the effect that there were several deaths from cholera in New York, has caused great ayprehension and alarm among many citizens. The mayor and board of health held a cdnsulta feion this evening and determined upon the verification of the bulletin to morrow, to declare a strict quarantine against New York. Meanwhile a Clyde steamer is scheduled to arrive here tonight with a great many passengers. This action has been greatly censured by some persons, who criticize the present extreme measures, compared with the inactivity hitherto shown. Sayannah's Rigorous Precau tions. WASHINGTON, Sept. 14.--Surgeon General Wyman tonight received a telegram from the health officer at Savannah, Ga., that the board of health had passed a resolution that all steamers leaving New York hereafter will refuse steerage passengers for Savannah, and that all cabin passengers must be thor oughly inspected as well as the crew. Tne Spring is Upon Us, And we are receiving this week a nice line of Spring Calicoes, Ging hams, etc. Call and examine tnem. Very truly, W. H. TOBXEB & Co. _ Always ask for "J. M. Cobb's" $3.00 Gent's Shoes and $2.00 Ladies' Shoes, We buy these goods in such quantities as to be able to sell YOU for $1.00 per pair less than you can find them any where. Our "Crown" brand for $1.25 and $1.50cannot be duplicated ci.her in quality or price otffeide of our store. When you want a good calf lined shoe or genuine Standard Screw brogan call for Marcy Bros. goods sold only by J. M. COBB, Sole Agent. *