Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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VOLUME IX.-NUMBER 2031. CHARLESTON, THURSDAY CORNING, JUEY 18, 1872. EIGHT DOLLARS A YEAR. A RAILROAD IN COURT. THE SWINDLES OE ERIE OUTDONE IN \ SOUTH CAROLINA. A Network of Systematic F ra mi-The Earnings or the Greenville and Co? lumbia Railroad Seized and Squan? dered-Astonishing Exposares by the New Administration. The case of Daniel E. Scannel, of New York:, against the Greenville and Colombia Railroad Company, In which the petitioner seeks to ob? tain a Judgment of involuntary bankruptcy against the company, was continued yester? day, In the United States District Court, before Judge Bryan. The case ls attracting much at. tentlon in legal and financial circles, as 1B not surprising, considering the startling na? ture of the revelations that have been made and are expected to be made of the past financial management of the company. It appears that lt has long been suspected or vaguely known that there had been some remarkable irregu? larities, to use a mild term, in connection with the affairs of this company, as has been the case with all the financial corporations upon which the political buccaneers who gov? ern this Slate have fastened their ltciJng and tenacious fingers; that lt wa? pretty generally understood that there had been large over Issues of b'.nds, and that since the control of the road has been obtained by th? South Caro? lina Railroad Company a number of litigations, more or less amicable, have been Instituted in the State courts to find out which bonds are legal and Which Illegal, and eventually to fur? nish a basis for criminal proceeding against the guilty parties. In the course of these litigations, which are taking place In Columbia, ex-Judge John S. Green has been appointed referee to take testimony, and a large number ot curious facts relative to the Bush-Patterson management of the road are being slowly un? earthed. Now, however, Mr. Scanne), of New York, has brought the present proceeding to force the road into bankruptcy and an as? signee's sale, by the success of which pro? ceeding it is evident that the creditors of the company, both real and pretended, could only realize a percentage' of their claims upon the company. This prospect has had the imme? diate effect of postponing, for the time being, all pending litigations, and uniting all the honest crediton with the officers of the com? pany in opposition to the bankruptcy pro? ceedings. They reason that the road ls still a good road, Its late managers not having had the ability, although doubtless they would have had the audacity, to carry off the track or pocket the rolling . stock, and that if properly managed hereafter it can be profitably operated and made to meet promptly all its legitimate liabilities. As to the New York holders of its fraudulent paper, they have very little solicitude or pity to waste on them, believing that their ac (I ii al a tan ce with the similar devices of the EWe Bing, and their knowledge of the previous wiles of the carpet-bag railroad politicians of South Carolina should have warned them, by this time, even if they are themselves free lrom collusion with the irauds, against burn lcgihelr fingers, as they appear to have done. Soon after the opening ot the court yester? day morning, Mr. W. J. Magrath, the present president ol the company, was again called to the stand, and testified as follows: The presi? dent of the Greenville and Columbia Railroad Company at the close of the war was Mr. Hammel. Mr. Bush succeeded him, and I succeeded Mr. Bush last January. The earn? ings of the road in 1870 were $439,34158; in 1871 $467,144 80, and during the first six months of this year they have been $251,376 62. The aggregate expenditures durlog those six months have been $152,861 80, leaving a sur? plus of $98,514 82. The earnings for the next six months may be expected, from the ex? perience of former years, shoi?d be greater than those for the past six months. It is lair to compute the probable earnings for the whole ot 1872 as not leas than $600,000. The increase In business in 1872 ls owing to the development of the country, and not to any accidental cause. With th.* business of the road yielding $500,000 or more, there Bhould be a surplus, after deducting the expenses of operating, of at least $200,009. If the bonded debt of tne company should be increased to $2,600,000 the sum of $175,000 would be re? quired to pay the annual Interest, and there Would Billi be a surplus of $25,000. Tba total amount of bonded debt of the company recog? nized as being valid ls $1,958,632 13. What? ever other claims are or may be made outside of this amount are disputed by the company. That amount Includes all the bonds of the issue ot which there is any record on the books of the company. I do not understand any bond to be Issued by the company unless it be recorded on the books of the company. I have reason to believe that other bonds have been Issued. I know the corporation called the Continental Telegraph Company. Its charter was obtained by one Hall, of New York, with two other parties. The charter was then gold or given to Mr. H. H. Klmpton. Mr. Corbin objected to the admission of this testimony because it was n r given by the witness from his own knowledge. Judge Magrath said that in an examination before a Judge the same rules need not be en lorced that applied to a trial before a jury. The Judge might hear all the testimony that might be presented, but would only allow ninisel f to be governed by such portions of lt as was legal evidence. They were on the track of a stupendous fraud, a fraud as bold and daring as had ever been perpetrated on any corporation or any individual, and they nssant to pursue lt until the conspiracy should be unearthed and the perpetrators brought within the pale of the criminal courts of South Carolina. But lt was a fraud fashioned by skilful artists, and it was not easy to follow lt through all the devious ways which had been adopted to conceal lt. Mr. G. D. Bryan said the witness was not expected to testify to matters of Information and belief. If toe other side believed the $600,000 of bonds held by the Commercial Warehouse Company were fraudulent, lt was for them to show that the Warehouse company got them by Its own fraud, and not by that of the former officers of the r03d. Judge Bryan, however, consented to hear the testimony, and Mr. Magrath continued: The books of the railroad company do not ehow any issue of bonds for the purchase of the Continental Telegraph Company, and con? tain no record of authority given to any per? son to purchase lt. At a meeting of the direc? tors, held on the evening of Januar/ 5,1872, a preamble and resolutions were introduced by John J. Patterson, reciting that the president (Bush) had reported a ne? gotiation with the Continental Telegraph Company, and authorizing bim to per? fect the negotiation. At that meeting, how? ever, the road passed out of the hands of President Bush and his directors, and, at the next meeting o? the board, it was lound th) the president had made no such report, an the resolutions were ignored. The first act < my administration was to deny and r?pudi?t any such transaction. By the direction ol' I h board, I caused suits to be brought against th former officers and directors of the compan to secure the return of any bonds that ha passed out of the hands of the company 1 that transaction. Notices ot those suits wer Berved on Frederick Bush, J. L. Neagle, J. J Patterson, H. H. Klmpton, Niles G. Parkei Joseph Crews, G. W. Waterman, F. L. Cardoz and T. Hurley, There were 1596,000 of secon mortgage bonds Issued by the executlv committee without any consideration bein received by the company. That whol amount did not go to the Continental Telegrap Company. Klmpton himself and half a dozei other directors told me $300,000 of bonds wa paid for that charter. Then there is found oi the minutes of the board authority to borro? $60,000 from J.~L. Neagle, and give him $180, 000 of bonds for It at 33$ cents. Those bor.d went to Neagle, but the money never cn< Into the treasury. I do not know ot my owi knowledge how much money was used ti bribe the Legislature, but have been told b; various directors. As to the $600,000 of bondi hcid by the Commercial Warehouse Compad; there ls no record on the books of any dlrec communication between that company and tb< railroad company for any loan of money, ant 1 know of the pretended connection onl; through their own statement or demand upoi us. The cotes held by that company an signed by John J. Patterson as vice-president There ls no evidence of any authority conferred upon Patterson to negotiate encl a loan nor of giving him bonds to secure suet a loan. The records show authority to fur nish Klmpton with bonds, but only for sped Bed objects, and principally for the purchase of supplies. There were bonds in Kimpton'f hands in New York, but not in the bands 6 anybody else In New York that I know of, ex cept a few small amounts aa security for loco motives. If money were raised by the Com' merdai Warehouse Company I suppose lt hat gone to Klmpton, but I do not know that. Ol the $1.600,000 of second mortgage bonds there are $1,196,000 out concerning the issue ol which there ls no record in the company. The rate of interest to be charged by the Commer? cial Warehouse Company appears In their de? mand as thirty-seven per cent. The bonds In their hands were sold recent fy, and brought twenty-five to twenty-nine and a hali cents. There are two ways of estimating the value of a railroad. Its In? trinsic value is represented by the cost of Its construction; Hs exchange? able value depends upon what lt Is wort J In the estimation of others. It the ownership or control or a road ls desired by two or more corporations, that competition tends to en? hance Hs value. The development of the re? sources ot the country, the multiplication ot ravel and the Increase of population also ncrease the value of a road. In speaking of ;he value ot a railroad I do not mean what lt ;ost the stockholders, but what lt ls worth in he market. I did not intend to convey In ny annual report the idea that the Greenville ind Columbia Railroad was Insolvent. 1 be leve lt is very far from being Insolvent. The LIr Line Railroad ld likely to be beneficial ather toan otherwise to the Greenville Road, t can hurt lt only at Sp ar tan burg and Green llle, and at these points more lu the re? action of rates than In the diminution of onnage. On the other baud, It will divert rom the Georgia Railroad and the City of Au ;usta all the freight comlog from Atlanta and tber points wes' >f Augusta co Columbia, tc, because the i , ls several miles.Bhorter. have been connected with railroads twenty ix years, and the president ot the South toronna Road ten years. I have olten ob? ier ved i he capacity of a railroad to extricate tself lrom embarrassments. The case ot the louth Carolina Railroad ls a case in point. Vhen I first became connected with lt Its in - lome did not exceed $600,000, its debt was arge, and Its stock low. In 1859, thirteen rears afterward, Its Income was over $1,600, 100, and its stock at par. Just after the war ts position was much more hopeless than the Greenville Road ls now. Ninety miles of Its rack had been completely, destroyed, and nore than half of Its equipment, while he rest of the road and equipment vas in a very bad condition. The Irst mortgage debt. (Increased twenty jer cent, by our Inability to pay gold during the ?war) had matured, and ts business had been entirely diverted except .he purely local traffic. Since then lt has )een built up, until now lt ls nearly equal to ;he best years before the war. The Greenville ttoad has now a good operating capacity. ?VhaTIs required to bring li into proper cou llllon in ail respects ls an expenditure of (50,000 per year for the next tour or fivo years. That would be quite sufficient. As to the ?600,000. being required at once to repair the road, the engineers could not spend that imount on the road if you gave them the noney. The present condition, material, bu ilness and profits of the road show that the sarnings of the road would furnish a sufficient nargln after paying all ordinary expenses, ind the Interest on all the acknowledged debt, ;o put and keep the road in good condition, [ts Income for 1870 belne $439,341 58, for 1871 (457,144 and for 1872 $500,000, that ls suffi? rent data for the expectation that lt will steadily increase, except perhaps [or one year after the completion ol the air Line Road, when its increase may ie temporarily disturbed. If Hs bonded debt should be Increased to $2,600,000, the road could still carry mat and keep tts track In re? pair, and its equipments adequate lor the transaction of business. When we took con? trol of the road, we found it utterly divested )f all present means and resources to pay in? terest and do other things necessary tor the road. The difficulties, however, were not lopelesB, and only required time to enable the company to retrieve Its condition. From .he opportunities I have now had to under? stand the condition of the road, I conclude ?at we will be able to resume the payment of merest on or before the 1st of next January. The road came under the control of President Bush and bis board In April, 1870, and so con inued until the 5tb of January, 1872. There las never been any Intent In any payments by ;ne company lo prefer any one creditor over my other. Cross-examined by Mr. Corbin. I do not lelieve that seventy per cent, of tbe Income il the road ls necessary to pay Its ordinary ex? penses. I believe fifty per tent, ls sufficient i'or the running ex pe uses and all ordinary re-1 pairs. The records show (lu the superinten? dent's report for the last six months) that lt has been run tor fifty per cent, of Its earnings. [ do not criticise Mr. Dodamead's estimate of sixty per cent, in his last annual report. He has a right to his own opinion on the subject. I do not agree In bis statement that unless $466,000 be obtained from some other source than the earnings of the road and spent upon lt in repairing and refurnishing, ita entire earnings will be absorbed for years to come. Railroad superintendents and civil engineers are generally very liberal In their estimates. I think with bim, that $400.000 might well be spent on the road, and I would like to have lt to spend; also that the work ought to be commenced at once; but lt ls not necessary to spend the whole amount within u few months. We did not pay the coupons on our bondB (except the first mortgage bonds) last January, and have not paid them this mooth. The company has not paid any dividend late? ly. The capital stock is $1,600,000 In 75,000 shares, at $20 each. Previous to my election as president Mr. Klmpton was elected finan? cial agent ol the company In New York. I never knew whs* his duties were supposed to be. He appeareu to be the president and board of directore of the company. I never saw any record prescribing hie dulles and re? sponsibilities. At this point the hour of three having ar? rived, the court adjourned until half-past ten tbJa morning. A WONDERFUL ROBBERT. FORCING A BANK OFFICER TO OPEN THE SAFE. Visiting the Officers' Houses and Gag? ging Them-Tying a Cord About the Neck of the Teller, and Forcing Him to Walk to the Bank at Midnight. UXBRIDGE, Mass., July 14. One ol the most remarkable bank robberies ever known took place in this quiet, out-of the-way town. Just before daylight, yesterday morniog. The peculiarly boid and thrilling Incidents ol' the affair, how the masked vil? lains entered the house of the cashier, at the dead of night, and handcuffed and gagged the whole family, and then dragged the teller of the bank and forced him to open the vaults of the establishment, for a a story which causes ! the achievements of even the renowned Jack Sheppard to dwindle into comparative Insig? nificance. HISTORY OF THE CASE-INVASION AND OPERA? TIONS OF THO BURGLARS. Tb' robbers, it is believed, cam? Into the town in two separate carriages, and arrived Bhortly after midnight. Bitching their teams under tho shed of one of the village churches, they proceeded to the postoffice and took a ladder which lay alongside the building. After reducing its length to suit their purposes, they carried lt to the residence of r euezer W. Haywood, the cashier, some fifty ; .ds dis? tant, and, placlog lt in position, five of the masked gang quietly entered the house through an open window of the second story. Having thus obtained access to the dwelling, the party silently entered the various sleeping apartments and stood ready for action by the side of the unconscious sleepers. Simultane? ously the Bleepers were awakened by feeling a hand grasping their throats and hearing a low voice ordering them to be quiet, ana assuring them that they should not be hurt. ?eBldee Mr. Haywood and Mr. Wes? ton there were three other Inmates of the house, Mr. Haywood's daughter, Miss Lucinda T. Haywood -, his granddaughter, a little girl twelve years old, Mabel H. Toft, and a colored servant girl named Annie Boss, a recent arri? val from North Carolina. Each of them was handcuffed, but the bracelets being too large for the little girl, ber hands were tied with a piece ol a sheet. They evidently expected to find a son of Mr. Haywood in the house, as they visited a room he bad been occupying, but be had gone only a day or two before, and consequently did not know of the affair till about six o'clock next morning. Mr. Hay wood .'who ls a gentleman ot seventy five years of age, and who has been cashier of the bank for fourteen years, says that he was startled out of a sound sleep by feeling a hand grasping bis throat, and openlog his ejes, be saw two men, one holding a pistol in one hand and a candle In the other, while the o thor man said, "I arrest you for forgery." Mr.1 Haywood naturally replied, "It was the first time that he was ever charged with any crime," and before he could recover from his astonishment the men bad handcuffed him. A NEW AND STRANGE DUTT FOR A CASHIER. They then helped him to put on his panta? loons, and told him be must accompany them to the bank and unlock the doors to the vaults. He told them be "could not do Ir." They had so excited him that he could not get down stairs, and bis appearance evidently im? pressed them with the truth of his statement, for they immediately demanded to know where hia clerk WSB. He replied that they "probably knew as well as he did." They tied his feet together, and also tied his legs above the kuees, and after placlpg a knotted hand? kerchief in bis mouth, tying lt behind his head, they left the room, leaving him lying helpless on the bed. A NEW STTLE OP ACCOUNT FOR A CLERE. Mr. Weston, the clerk of the bank, who boarded with the cashier, says that he was awakened by hearing a Blight noise In Mr. Haywood's room, and opening his eyes he found a man standing at his bedside with a revolver pointed at his head. At first Charlie thought he would "play 'possum" and manage In some way to get hold of his revolver, which was in a table drawer, but as the man stood between him and the table he gave up that Idea. He was almost Instantly hand? cuffed and Informed that 1 he was arrested," but no cause was assigned. He waa allowed to put on hie pantaloons, and one of them helped to put on his stockings. Then a small cord was placed around his neck and grasped by a band ready at the slightest attempt at out? cry to choke off his breathing. He was theo taken down stairs and out ot the back door by four men, two of whom disappeared as Boon as-'thev got out doors. The others walk? ed on either side, and during the walk to the bank he wa9 hit on one cheek with a pistol and on the other by a cold blade of an open knife, while a gentle admonition was given him to keep Billi. AT CHURCH, BOT NOT FOR PRAYER. The Unitarian Church stands about midway between the cashier's house and the bank. On reaching it Charlie was taken Into the doorwav by one of the men, while the other went off Into the darkness. Alter walting ten or fifteen minutes a low whistle was heard In the direction of the bank and he was hurried along. IN THE BANK AND A QUICK RECKONING. The door of the bank was opened and the three men entered. A light Is kept burning In the banking room all night, and as soon as they got Into the room Charlie was forced to get down on his knees, and all three crept silently across the room and behind the counter. Reaching up to the outer iron door of the vault, lt was gently unlocked, opened, and the men entered, closing lt behind them. The combination lock on the inner door of the vault was the only thing that lay between the robbers and their anticipated booty. Charlie was the only one present who could unlock lt, and, fearful leBt he might forget the combinations, his companions told him "to keep calm and not to get excited." Reminded of hlB position by a gentle twist of the cord round his neek, Charlie soon un? locked the door, and, opening lt, the robbers proceeded to hastily examine the result of their venture. They first emptied a small leather carpet-bag containing papers, and ibrew Into it what bank bills and scrip they found, amounting In the aggregate to a little over twelve thousand eight hundred dollars. They then burst open another trunk-, the per? sonal property of Mr. Haywood. In it they found five hundred and fifty dollars in bank bills, a gold watch, diamond ring, a seal ring, bearing the letters "E. 8. T.," and several other articles of lewelry belonging "to the de? ceased father of "Little Mabel." A number cf notes payable at the bank they examined, out did not take. They also left some forty dollars in coppers and five cent pieces. Every? thing else of value they threw into the car? pet-bag. They then asked Charlie If there were no bonds in the bank, and could hardly believe bim when assured that there were none, but were finally obliged to reluctantly accept his assurance as true. OFF FRO il THE PORTALS OF THE, CHURCH. They then left the bank, carefully locking the door as they found lt, and escorted Char? lie back to the house, leavloe the carpet-bag in the street, near the Unitarian Church, ap? parently In obarge of nobody in particular; at least Charlie did'ntsee any one near lt after lt was set down. A TILLANOUS VALEDICTORY. After returning to the house wltb Mr. Wes? ton, the attentive and polite robbers removed the gags from the mouths ot all and gave them some water to drink, Before going to the bank, the colored girl was taken into tile room where Mrs. Haywood and Mabel were, and Mr. Weston was taken Into the same room on his return. They were then Beated on chairs, their hands placed In bandet Ts back O? the chair, cords were bound round their ankles and above their knees, and the gags replaced, Mr. Haywood was left on his bed, his hands handcuffed behind him, and his feet and legs bound. He suffered considerably, his whole weight being on his bands, aod he complained oi it. His captors endeavored lo ease him by placing pillows under his shoulders, and, that not accomplishing the object desired, they placed a chair uuder the pillows. At first this eased him some, but lu a little while the strain upon his handcuffs was very hard to bear, and he managed to get hiB feet off the bed, finally thus bringing him up to a sitting posture. His bracelets were pretty tight, however, and left quite a mark on his wrlBts. r PERSONAL PECULIARITIES OP BURGLARIOUS PRO? FESSORS. The old adage of honor among thieves was Illustrated by the fact that the leader of the gang appeared desirous to confine their thiev? ing operations strictly to the bans:, although unfortunately some of his men dla not seem to share his feelings. While they were in young Weston's room one of the men took his pocketbook (or his own use. After taking the funds from the bank, the captain asked Charlie if any of them belonged to bim, and said "if they did he should have them back, as they did not wish to take any of his property." Thereupon Charlie told him of the Incident in his room, and the captain told bim he should have the pocketbook back, and before the party left it was returned, but on subsequent examination lt was found that some twenty-five or thirty dollars In bills had been removed. The silver In the house was not touched, neither was a gold watch and some coin In one of the rooms. In general the family was treated with con? siderable gentleness, and they all bear cheer? ful testimony to the kindness shown, although they would have been perfectly willing: to have dispensed with the attentions of the des? peradoes entirely. While the men were binding Miss Haywood the captain noticed she appeared faint, and told the men to be careful, and some water was sprinkled In her lace. PACTS FOR THE POLICE. The robbery of tbe bank was accomplished between two and three o'clock on Saturday morning; the town clock was striking two while young Weston and his unpleasant com? panions were standing In the doorway of the Jnltarlan Church. The robbers all lett Mr. Haywood's house finally as early as half-past three o'clock, although the Inmates were told that a guard would be left to see that they gave no alarm. After si ttlne awhile In the un? comfortable position in which they were left, little Mabel managed to get her hands ont or the cloth that bound them, but was afraid to move around much. Charlie also managed to get his arms from behind tho chair, and after considerable difficulty stepped through them backward, and Mabel secured a pair ol scis? sors and cir the cords around bis legs and also those that bound the others. Quick work was also made of the gags. THE EVENTFUL HORN. Daylight began to appear by this time, but the females were so frightened that they would not let Charlie go to give the alarm, and they waited till about hall-past five o'clock, when Mr. Braman, who does the milk log for Mr. Haywood, came Into the yard. Even then the women would not allow Charlie to call out; but he managed by holding up his bands to attract the attention of Braman, who quickly entered the house, and as soon as pos? sible alter hearing the story gave the alarm. The neighbors Hooked In, but nobody had a key to the handcuffs, and the prospect was that they, would have to be filed off. For? tunately, at this juncture, the girl Annie got up, and Charlie noticed a peculiar key ander her, and lt was lound lt would unlock all the handcuffs, and the captives were at liberty once more. EFFORTS FOR LIOBT. Efforts to discover the rogues were at once beguo: but as they wore masks and were otherwise disguised, lt ls exceedingly doubt? ful If they are captured. Tbe directors ot the ,bank have offered a reward ol five thousand dollars for the detection or conviction ot the robbers. Nothing ls said about the recovery ot tbe money, me officials appearing more anxious to get hold of the rogues than to get their money. The bank has a surplus ol over thirty-five thousand dollars, and consequently the loss of thirteen thousand dollars will not embarrass lt at alL The robbers, lt ls believ? ed, were disappointed la not getting more spoils, and If they bad waited till Monday they would undoubtedly have captured more, as Tuesday ls pay day at the mills in the village, Saturday morning twenty-thousand dollars were received from Boston, and thus the bank was ready for business almost as early as usual. The gang numbered certainly five mon, probAblj-more, arni uppearoQ to OB thorough ly organized, having a lender whom they im? plicitly obeyed. As ls generally the case on such occasions no names were called, but the men designated each other by numbers, and during the operations at the house 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 10 were called, but. only five men were seen at any one lime. Most of them wore masks, but the leader was apparently disguised with false whiskers, as he wore a full beard much darker than his hair. He ap? peared to belong to a more refined das* of men than the rest of the gang, his lan? guage evincing more education, and several times he cautioned his men to treat the females gently and seemed desirous to cause as little suffering to all as was compatible to safety. The men appeared to be entirely familiar with the In? terior arrangements of both the houses and the bank building. It ls believed that some of them were in or about the bouse the night be? fore, as the little girl. Mabel, heard some noise the previous night, and gut up to see what lt was, but, finding nothing, concluded lt must have been a cat. About ten o'clock on Friday evening, Mr. Weston beard two peculiar whistles, soft, clear and smooth, and called the attention of some of the family to them. A neighbor also reports bearing the same whistles, but failed to see anybody, and thought no more ol lt until after the robbery was discovered. H.4 RON GEROLT. Alleged dunes of his Retirement from Washington. A Washington dispatch to the New York Tribune says: The causes-which led to the removal of the most popular German minister who ever set foot In Washington have Just been developed here, to the no small discredit ol one of the most trusted representatives of the Grant ad? ministration. Baron Gerolt came to this country In 1846, and irom that time to his removal, especially throngs the rebellion, gave the most substan? tial evidences of his own friendship, as well as that ol the country which he represented, for the American people. In the midst of the Fran? co-German war, the Baron, becoming con? vinced that the administration was hard? ly observing Its neutral obligations with reference to the sale ol military stores to the belligerents, wrote a friendly note to Bancrolt Davis, ooservlng that, accordlog to bis information, the 'French were allowed too much facilitv lo the pur? chase of arm? In this country. Davis wrote a most cruel and insulting reply thereto, whloh the Baron, Immediately on its reception, took to Secretary Fish, and asked what lt meant. The secretarv, with a blandness which never deserts him," assured the Baron that he need pay no attention to the Insulting missive, and that Davis, acting merely In a clerical capa? city, waB beneath the dignity of his Just in? dignation. Thus conciliated, the Baron paid no lurther attention to the matter. Avery short time after ibis unpleasantness Baron Gerolt received a telegram irom Bismarck, reprimanding him for his conduct towards American officials at Washington, and more especially for his unfriendliness to the Grant administration. Without even replying to ibis telegram ur even offering an explanation lo lt, the Baron at once tendered bis resigna? tion, wblcb was ppeedlly accepted. When he returned to Berlin, circumstances oc? curred which led him lo ask an explan? ation for the censure given bim by Bis? marck. The latter then put the Baron Into possession of various communications made to himself by Mlnlfer Bancroft, wherein the Barou was declared to be hostile to Grant's ad? ministration, and on unfiiendly terms with the majority ol the members ot the American Cabinet. Fortified by Utters from some ol the most prominent Republicans lo the country, and more particularly by his own statements. Bismarck was soon convinced that he had been badly imposed upon, and that both him? self and Gerolt had been made the victims of a cunning and disgraceful intrigue. Bismarck was very indignant, and demauded an expla uation from Bancroft. In the examination which followed, lt appeared that Minister Bancroft had been imposed upon by commu? nications from his nephew, Bancroft Davis, and that upon these statements he had made his own representations to Bismarck, sup? posing them to be of official origin. So lt would seem that the French arm speculation had a more potent influence upon the admin- j istratlon than it has received credit for. j GOSSIP ABOUT GREELEY. TEE LOYE-EBAST AT CHAPPAQUA. .'Clasping Hands Across the Bloody Chum"-The Future Mistresses or the Whit* House-Position of the Dally 1 Press on the Greeley Question-Brick Pomeroy for Grant-The Orange De? monstration. [FROM ODE OWN CORRESPONDENT.] NEW YORK, July 14. For the thousandth time since the Cincin? nati movement began hands were clasped "acroBS the bloody chasm" yesterday. The scene was the farm at Chappaqua, where the farmer candidate was entertaining about a hundred politician guests from the North and South. The antipodes of old politics met Began, the poBtmaster-general of the Confede? racy was there with Til ton, the most advanced of the younger Radicals of New York. Bird, the old Massachusetts abolitionist, stood by the side of the fiery, untamed (until recently) secessionist, Duke Owln. Sumner's new watchword, "Reconciliaton," seemed to be in? scribed over the farmhouse. The dully papers have given you good accounts of the love feast. The lady who presided over the banquet was Misa Ida Greeley. It will Interest the readers of THE NEWS to hear something of the two young women who are to have charge ot the White House after next March. Mrs. Greeley ls a confirmed invalid, and lt is not probable that more will be seen ot her In Washington than lhere used to be of that excellent but re? tiring wife ot President Johnson. Mr. Gree? ley's daughters, theuapT are every way fitted to do the honors or the Executive Mansion. No ladles that have been there since Miss Harriet Lane's time will so well satisfy the proper pride of the American people. They are both personally attractive, charming in manner and highly educated. One of them ls possessed ot raie mental gifts. Having been lo good society h great deal, they have the ease and "deportment" that that experience bestows. Ida 1B au occasional writer for the press. She was at one time a member of Boro? nia, the ladies' club, but retired after a year's companionship with the blue stockings. It is said she 1B like ber father, strongly opposed to woman suffrage. Gabrielle U a Roman Catho? lic, having Imbibed that faith while a student in a convent. She will be the first Catholic mistress the White House has ever had. She ls not Io good health at present, and ls an al? most constant visitor, In Cooperstown, Nw Y., at the home of Mr. Chamberlain, the principal political editorial writer of the World, between whom and her father, curious to say, the most Intimate friendship exists. . At least a third of the Baltimore delegates came to New York on their way home. One 'of the Charleston delegates was ot the party at Chappaqua yesterday. Poor Mr. Greeley has passed through a laborious week. For two days be has bad to stand on exhibition, and be shaken nearly to pieces. The enthu? siastic convert lo Greeley, calling upon him, thinks not ol the rasping his honored chiefs right hand has already received tioce morn? ing, but seizes lt with Impulsive and hearty vigor, and nearly dislocates lt from Its socket. This, however, is one of the penalties ot great? ness. I remember hearing of Douglas's swol? len arm after a Tammany reception. The brawny Sixth-warders had used lt as If it were the handle to an obstinare pump. An amu8log feature of the freshly-opened campaign ls me sale of Greeley fans on Broad? way and at the ferries. This unique inven? tion first appeared, 1 believe, in the Baltimore Convention. New York ls now flooded with lt. The ian consists of the great, round, moon-lace of the next President, printed, colored and cut to shape In pasteboard, fringed over the head and under th* chin with long, white, flowing hair, and affixed to a stick. The effect Is very funny. The manufacturers made a lucky hit, and will, of course, realize a small fortune. Thf> newspaoers ari? nettling .town tn th/> steady work ol the campaign. The World seems to have made up Its mind to strive for the success of "the least of the two evils." Its influence with the dissatisfied Democrats ought to be great; tor lt was one of them, and it might do valuable service to the cause by using Its power to bring them Into the fold again. I hear it reported that Brick Pomeroy wilWcome out for Grant. That would argue a want of faith in the convention called to meet at Louisville to nominate a straight-out Dem oe rat. Pomeroy has said harder things of Grant than St. Anthony said of the Devil; but j as this ls an eraot forgiveness all around, per? haps the President can overlook them. I don't know that lt will be anymore strange to see Brick and Butler, WIBB and Brownlow folded tn each other's arms, than for the World and Tribune to be In the same trundle beti. The Times gives evidence ot alarm. If it was really confident bf the result io Novem? ber it could afford to be dignified and argu? mentative. But lt Is as vulgar, mean and scurrilous as any Billingsgate drab. It seems to think the best way to avert the Impending calamity to Grantism ls to hoap ridicule ob the Reform candidate. I think Its course Is disgusting many of Its most radically Inclined readers. People want to see some better reason advanced for supporting Grant than that his opponent sit?ales in his walk or screams wheu he talks. The Times was guil? ty ot a very foolish and uojournallstlc piece of spite on the day after the nomination of Greeley at Baltimore. It suppressed the reg? ular report ot the proceedings, speeches, bal lo tings, ?c., furnished to all the papers of the association by the Associated Press, and also all mention of the news throughout the coun? try, and substituted a short, false and garbled special report from Us own agent at Balti? more. Of course it had a right to do so If lt wanted to, but lt acted as if lt were afraid to let Its readers see the (acts. The lesson of the last twelfth of July was remembered. Nobody Interfered with the Orange parade on Thursday. The procession isis planted their* offensive colors, and the bands played tho old taunting Oi anne air.?, bot the crowds, which flocked by ihousands last year to show their resentment, kept care? fully away from the streets this time. The disposition of the community ls, now that tbe Orangemen have had their triumph, to have all future partisan demonstrations by foreign? ers In the public Btreeis forbidden. It seems absurd that Americans walking the streets quietly should be shot down on account of a quarrel between the partisans of James and William nearly three hundred years ago. NYM. IMPROVEMENTS IN COLUMBIA. The Central National Bank and Citi? zens- Saving* Bank Building. [From the Columbia Carolinian.] We learned on Saturday that the directors had awarded the contract for their new build? ing to Mr. Clark Waring, and with nls usual promptness and energy he has already com? menced work upon the splendid building, re? cently projected by the Central National Bank, ot ibis city, and the Citizens' Savings Bank of South Carolina, on the corner of Main and Plain streets. The structure will be ol brick, with an ornamental Iron front, three stories In height, above the basement, and surmounted wltb a Mansard roof The first ?tory for & depth on Plain street, ol seventy-five feet, will be occupied by the Cen? tral National Bank, having an entrance on the corner of tbe building. Tue basement tor a like depth will be occupied by the Citizens' Savings Baok. with entrance on Main and Plain streets; whole depth of building one hun? dred and fifty feet. Tue vaults of both banks will be situated In the basement and will be perfect in all the essentials of convenience and security. The second and third Soors will be admirably adapted to office purposes, and we understand many rooms are already engaged by some of our most popular insurance and oiher companies. The plan of Ihe building has been carefully selected as combining con? venience ol interior with 'attractiveness of exterior. We hail this enterprise as a bright harbinger of the future of our city, and trust that many such ouildlngs will arise to attract capital and to adorn bur streets already BO rapidly putting on a metropolitan appearance, and afiordlng gratifying evidence ol the "good time coming." The ability of these banks to carry such an enterprise into execution speaks well for their management, and is conclusive ot the fact that money may be as profitably and safely ln I vested in Columbia as anywhere. THE ALABAMA DELUGE. I Terrible Effects on the Railroad! and the Crops. The Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser, of Tues? day, Bays: The rain-fall during the -forty-eight hours beginning last Thursday and terminating Fri? day night exceeded eleven Inches-the heavi? est of which we have had any account in many years. Trw wharf on the Alabama at this place ls said to be washed away, and the rapid waters have made such inroads on the banks of the river that, in order to avoid the undermining ot the track, the Mobile and Montgomery Railroad Company contemplate moving the track of their road, near the foot ol Commerce street, several feet lurther In. auch a flood at this particular season ls almost, if,D?t altogether, unprecedented in the history of the State. ?- ^ ..The Alabama Elver was higher yesterday and last Sunday than lt has been known to be before at any time Blnce tbe war. The bot? toms, embracing the most productive lands in the State, are everywhere overflowed, and the damage to the crops cannot but be Im? mense. This river and its tributaries wash not less than two thousand miles of shore, and If the overflowed lands average twenty acres to the mlle, the loss resulting from this overflow cannot fall far short of two millions of dollars. In times like these so great a loss ls a terrible calamity, and one cal? culated to cause considerable inconveni? ence if not actual suffering among tbe planters, upon whom it directly falls. The great bend opposite this city, which a few days ago was covered with the most luxu? riant and promising crops In Au touga County, is now nothing but a wide waste of rushing water, unrelieved save by an occasional tree top which peeps oat (rom the muddy torrent The bed of the South and North Road along the lowlands contiguous to tbe river ls com? pletely submerged. In several places the track has been completely washed, away, and lt will be several days before lt eau be so re? paired as to admit ot the passage of the trains. We have had no Northern malls since last Fri? day, and it will bo yet several days beiore tbey oan get through. Dispatches reach us from Wetumpka that the Coo sa, TallapooBa, Alabama and other small streams In that neighborhood are about to overflow that historical old town. At last accounts the Coosa Hall bad been reached, a distance of eighty yards from the river, bat the waters were supposed to be receding at sandown. At that time the water was only four feet beneath the high old bridge that con? nects East and West Wetumpka. A large planter in Elmore County says that the overflow In the bend opposite this city will destroy between ten and fourteen thous? and bushels of corn between bera and We? tumpka, and that the damage to the crops down the river cannot now be estimated, bnt that lt will be very heavy, j The track of tbe Selma, Rome and Dalton , Railroad was washed away in several places by the late rains, and the splendid new bridge across the Coosa River is seriously threatened ' by the floods. Not a single bale ot cotton was received In this city yesterday, the most remarkable event of the year. No cotton was shipped, because, on account of the wash-ups, there were no re? liable means of shipment. -? , mm > + THE CAMPAIGN IN THE WEST. CHICAGO, Jolyn. The Democratic and Liberal State Central Committees of Illinois met in Joint session at Springfield yesterday, aud chose a lull electo? ral ticket, with Ex-Governor Brose, or Cook County, and Judge J. D. Caton, of Lasalle County, electors for the State at large. Tbe Republicans ot the Slxteentth Congressional District yesterday nominated J. B. Smarter for Congress. Ignatius Donnelly bas written a letter de? clining the Republican nomination lor Con ( gress In the First District of Minnesota, and announcing his adh?rence to Greeley and Brown. . ST. LOUIS, July 17. finir. Brown, /oj the flr?t time Blnce his. sickness, visited the Liberal Headquarters to I day. Senator Thurman ls in the city. NOTES FROMNEW TOBE. NEW YORK, July 17. The weather ls still very hot. Many of the striking workmen object to al ? lowing Internationals to participate In the parad*. ' * An illicit still, running forty gallons per hour, was captured In Brooklyn to-day with much material. The building, which ls"four stories high, is forfeited to the government. Colonel French, proprietor of French's Hotel, died last night. The specie shipments to-day were $844,000. Panama advices say that instructions bave been received at Aspinwall by the American consul to detain the steamer Edgar Stuart there until further orders. ITALIAN INTOLERANCE LONDON, July 17. An influential meeting of Roman Catholics was held here last night, the Duke ot Norfolk presiding. A resolution was adopted protest? ing against all the actions of the Italian Gov? ernment towards the Papal authorities, and condemning the recent law passed by the German Parliament prosecuting Jesuits. TURNING THE TABLES. LONDON, ONTARIO, July 17. Cornwall, who asBiated In the abduction of Dr. Brutton, was to-day found guilty and sen? tenced to three years in tbe penitentiary. LONGFELLOW AGAIN DISABLED. SARATOGA, July 17. It is the opinion of rael og men here that Longfellow will never run again, although he will be most valuable In ihe studs. During the race tor the cup yesterday, ona of his plates 'twisted round and cut bis other.ioot and leg badly. The plate was broken In two and the leg disabled; yet Longfellow gallantly ran the race out to the wonder of all the rac? ing men. The first race to-day was five hundred dol? lars tor all ages, one mlle dash. Alarm woo, beating Fadladen by one length. Kingfisher third-time 1.42$. The second race was a selling race for six hundred dollars for all ages lor one-half mlle. It was won by Allie Hunt, bealing, sandford by a head. Mary Louise came In third, one length behind. Buckden, who was the favorite over all the others beating off and trailing-time 2.40j. The third race was for a purse of eight hun dred dollars for all ages, two miles. Tubman won, beating Susan Ann three lengths. John Merry man third, Locehlll lourth-time 3.39|. SPARKS FROM THE WIRES. -Twenty thousand attended the Imperial German Band concert In Baltimore, yester? day. -Johnson & Jones's soap and candle fac? tory, In Milwaukte, was burned yesterday. Loss eighty-five thousand dollars. -The authorities ol the Hawalan Islands attached the steamer Nebraska for Introducing small-pox. The agent gave a bond, and the vessel proceeded. -The Geneva board yesterday adjourned, after a thirty minutes' session, during which papers were exchanged. No further delay 1B apprehended. -The President, yesterday, sent a telegram to the WbHe House that be would not be in Washington for a week, unless he was tele? graphed for to come on buslnees of impor -A water-spout, In Denver, Colorado, yes? terday, struck a caravan containing four per? sons. Two ladies were drowned. One was afterwards found on the road, three miles be? low the scene, covered with Band and debris. The road was rendered Impassable by the wash. THE WEATHER THIS DA T. WASHINGTON, July 17. The barometer will continue rising, with northerly winds and cooler weather trom the lower lakes westward to Missouri. Cloudy weather will continue over the Ohio Valley. Southwesterly winds with more numerous local storms will prevail lu tbe South Atlantic and Gulf States. Westerly winds with lower temperature and cloudy weather will prevail irom Virginia to New Jersey. Easterly winds and cloudy weather will continue on me New England coast to New York. A DESPERATE RESOURCE. SOME TRICKS OE THE GR ANTI 1RS. The Ku-Klux Electioneering Terror Politics In the ?Vortrrwrest-Proposed Pardon or Political Offenders, dc?. [Correspondence or the Baltimore Sun.] WABHTKOTON, July 16. One of the plans of the administration for carrying the elections in the South ls that of holding the Ku-Klux law in terrorem over certain sections. It ls learned from a proper source that warrants have been Issued for the arrest ol dozens of citizens in Union County, South Carolina, though not a Bingle outrage has been reported from that quarter for months. There are also said to be several hundred unexecuted warranta held over the heads of persons residing In certain portions of North Carolina for no other purpose 'than to Intimidate them from entering actively upon political work against the party In power. A statement was made In administration quarters to-day that the President contera plates the pardon of about bait the persons who were convicted of belonging to the Ku Klux organization In South Carolina, and who are now undergoing Imprisonment at hard labor In the Albany penitentiary. It ls stated that he proposes to free all those who are known to have been ignorant and misguided, and who have been lorced Into the oryantza tion. None of the Intelligent men or leaders ' are to reaeiveamnesty? -. >_ 1 The Democratic resident committee he'd another meeting te-day, and perfected their plans for conducting the campaign. The print? ing and distribution, ol speeches and tte inau? guration of a correspondence with all part? of the country will commence' at once. The committee Intend to devote the: rest of the month to the struggle in NorthOarollDBuoi i? . - Letters from Indiana, to the Greeley and Brown Club give most favorable prospects bf tbe success of tne Conservative tiokettn Oe-: toner. Even Congressman Kerr, who waa' very hostile to that ticket, concedes that lt will sweep the State, and that a Democratic Gov? ernor and Legislature will be secured. Judge Marshall. ot Illinois, a member Ot Congress, also reports his State as quite certain to en? dorse the Baltimore ticket In November. THE COTTAGE BY THE SV?i ^ ?" Ol ' ? ' ?'? ni. ri r.e. nlrfO A-; ? Uneasiness at Cl?? Seaside Exeeuttr* Mansion-The Betting- Men Against Orajit- Forney tobe Pacified, . i". [Correspondence of the New York World.] LONO BRA.VCH, N. J., July li. Uneasiness ls the marked characteristic o? the two-term administration politicians so? journing at this wateriog-place. They are id1 a state of alarm and exceedingly blue over the. appearance of the political field, j Grant drives' through the avenues here without attracting attention or any more notice than any other' visitor at the Branch. lu fact, no one except' the political lackeys, who are hanging around on account of past favors and those to come, seem to care anything about him. ' The office? holders try their best to keep up a show for him, Ont have hard work In doing lu T : . North Carolina la j ust, now the great trouble. oo their minds. They appear to give much more importance to the result in that State: than the other side. does, and manifest great measlness and alarm, as ls shown bj Grant sending for Wilson and dispatching him at once to that State. Grant and Morton ere both to leave for Washington to-morrow mor? ning to concoct other schemes to aid toe. ad? ministration party in the O.'d North Stace. It ls plain to be seen that they are determined upon putting forth every effort tn their power to carry North Carolina. -, . riCttnoO It ls a noticeable fact that the betting men on the Grant side no longer bet even on his success In November. They refuse- to bet un? less they are given odds. They will betseren tx-flve on Grant to one hundred for Greeley. When conrcrett twt? -weens ago mey WDuIli give odds. Phis shows the change that bas come over them since the assembling of the . Baltimore Convention. General McCook ls here, (rom Ohio,, and speaks encouragingly of the canvass In that State. Leading men from Indiana also de? clare that Horton has good reason to be ashamed In regard to Grant's chance there, and predict the election of Hendricks by twen? ty-thousand majority In October. . ** ?' '':i' SALE OF COX FEDERA TE ARCHIVES. A Singular story. It ls said that the Treasury Department has paid to Colonel John T. Pickett, formerly of the Confederate army, (not Major-General Pickett) $76,000 for data for the rebel ar? chives, which he held in his possession as attor? ney tor certain parties in Canada. The Wash? ington correspondent of the New York Tri- . bune adds: It Is also further stated that this large sum was paid by the special order of Secretary Boutwell, who, in conjunction with other members of the administration, is ot the opin? ion that beside the primary object ot protect? ing the treasury irani the claim: ot bogus Southern Union men, they can also be used for political effect in the South daring the pending campaign, and In the Interest Gen-' eral Grant. These archives or department files bave a somewhat singular history. When the military operations in front of Richmond assumed ihat threatening character, which finally ended in the evacuation of the city, these archives were sent to North Carolina for sale-keeping. There (hey fell Into the hands of BO me irresponsible persons, Who, amid the consternation attending the downfall of the Confederoy, escaped with them to Canada, where they have been kept and used for vari? ous speculative purposes antil the present time. Whatever these papera may contain relative lo Greeley's peace- negotiation, and which have not yet been published, will now be doled out through the various Grant orgaoa* of the country, and whatever effect they may also bave in intimidating prominent men In the South will also be fully tried. , ; a " -> t !? GOSSIP ABOVT THE PAPACY. There ls a good deal o? talk now in the newspapers about Bismarck and his 'proposed interference In the election of a new Pope 'after the demise of Plus IX. On the other hand lt ls stated as of ''unquestionable trust? worthiness" that Plus IK issued a bull two years ago conferring on the cardinal! living at the Vatican the right to elect bis successor at any time, and that they have already dbm' so. and chosen Cardinal Patriztl, who, the official German papers say, Is a Wend of the Jesuits and a bitter enemy ot the new German Empire. The whole story, however, am?nate, probably, to nothing but the merest gossip. The statement that an arrangement baa been made by Pope Plus IX fdr the election of a successor to the Uara immediately after hip own death eau scarcely be true. All usage ll opposed to such action. The rule has been not to form a conclave until after the monal remains of ihe late Pope have been placed lu that tomb in St Peter's where they have to remain until the election ot a Pope. Thli takes place nine days after the Holy Pontar? death. Under ihe old system, even as late SJ 1846, when Plus IX waa elected, France, Aus? tria and Spain claimed the right of veto on lae choice of any one cardinal. At ntyseot no one will pretend that M. Thiers, af PrfWe? of .the French Republic, will claim, like Napo? leon III. the right of tbe "eldest son,oruio Church." Neither while Amadeus remains, un? recognized by the Pope, ls 8P^'nlnal^t1if?r_ to put in a veto. There la*Tgg*&*^ the Emperor of Austria and P lus IX, whiotl mltrbt or might not lead to the exercise o? coe Stthe next ^^-SgSSSSSi that the Tope 1B over eighty. But lt ls said that Bismarck on i he part of Imperial Germany, which his' H.ooo.ooo of Catholics, claims tho rieht of veto, and is endeavoring topersuado Pn?iand which has a large Cathollo popula? tion home and colonial, to do the same. Whatever Germany may attempt or execute In this matter, there Is not the remotest chance that England will Interfere to the slightest ex? tent Germany may act differently, for Bis? marck ls food ol fishing in troubled watara,