The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-19 00:00:00

THE DAVENPORT BROTHERS.

On View, at the Hanover-square Rooms.
Last evening, between seventy and eighty gentle-
men, connected with the London Press, assembled at
the Hanover-square R3OOlB, for the purpose of exa-
mining into the nature and peculiarities of a Mystic
Display, which has for several weeks past been pro-
minent among the miscellaneous town-talk of the
metropolis. Following Mr Home succeeding
Mr Forster there have come to us, quite
as a matter of course (like those two renowned
personages) from America--a whole group of—
we can't precisely say Wise Men from the East,
but However.you-may-like-to-call-them from the
West. A whole &Luster of American Exhibitors—
Exhibitors of they don't know what ! The enter-
prising young gentleman who is the Barnum of the
occasion, being, just as you may please to call him,
a holy or an unholy Palmer. The Spokesman of
the Performers, who talks to us in front of a move-
able wooden cupboard, raised upon tressles,
is our old friend (with a new and decidedly
Yankee face) Mr Ferguson. And—listening to him
as he talks, and looking at the structure about
which he is talking—we very soon discover that
Mr Ferguson don't lodge there—he only dik courses
about it. There is a Fay, too, we should observe,
but it happens to be a veritable, substantial
flesh-and-blood Fay, among these choice spirits
recently imported to England from America.
And last, but not least, there are those two
—how shall we designate them P—serious
speechless Dromios, the Brothers Davenport.
Any exhibition at once moreclumsy or more childish
we never remember to have witnessed. The pro-
ceedings were from first to last simply preposterous.
They were—at any rate according to our estimate
of them--nothing less than an insult to the com-
mon sense of every rational auditor and of every
sane spectator in the room. During nearly two
mortal hours we endured the tedium and absurdity
of these most ridiculous demonstrations. The
puerile character of these demonstrations has too
frequently and elaborately been described, by Mr.
Dion Boucicault and others, to require that it should
be here once more minutely delineated. The
displays, such as they are, have become
by this time little less than notorious.
They are vulgar to the last degree of vulga-
rity. They are noisy, blatant, and ridiculous.
A sufficiently intelligent observer among those
present last evening—not a savant, let us observe,
not a philosopher, merely a writer of penny serial
publications very well known " down Whitechapel
way"—neither a Professor Owen nor a Professor
Faraday—simply Mr. 0. W. M. Reynolds, of
Reynolds's _Newspaper and Reynolds's Miscellany
—threw out a capital suggestion by way of test,
namely, that the Brothers Davenport, besides being
strongly bound by cords, twisted and knotted about
their wrists and aneles, folded across their knees
and fixed to the bench upon which they
are seated, should be tied up likewise
at their wrists and aneles, and so on—with
packthread ! Let them, ho argued, be so twined
about with bonds of packthread, as well as with
strong cord, and if—after the tumult of discordant
sounds, emanating from the closed structure—the
packthread proved, upon the opening of the doors,
again, to be still unbroken—he would believe, but
not till then, that the Brothers Davenport them-
selves had nothing whatever to do with those demon.
strations I With the tinkling of the guitar strings,
the rattling and thumping of the tambourine,
the jingling of the muffin bell, the scraping of
the fiddle and the clanging of the trumpet ! A
shrewd and reasonable proposition enough in itself,
but one that—as a matter of course—was not
acceded to !

Among other rather significant circumstances
noticeable in connection with these singularly
stupid, tedious, and contemptible performances, the
following are worthy of being particularised by
reason of their very obvious significance. The
Brothers Davenport, for example, while to all ap-
pearance quietly seated inside the cabinet, bound
hand and foot, alter each tumultuous clamour of
fiddle, trumpet, belt, guitar, and tambourine, upon
the opening of the doors, though still seated quietly
and as strongly corded as ever, proved, upon
being scrutinized through a lorgnette, to be
absolutely streaming with perspiration! Indicative,
as it appeared to us, of violent muscular exertion
on their part during the very interval of their
apparent quiescense ! Again—when it is borne in
mind, that upon the fourth or fifth time of their
being shut into the cabinet (bound hand and foot)

upon the reopening of the door of the structure,
a few minutes afterwards, the cords are found to be
lying in a loose bundle at their feet—themselves
unbound ! And when--still later on—the doors
being closad, while the cords lay in:a loose heap
between the feet of the two unbound brothers;
a few minutes afterwards—on the flying open of
the doors, the two men were found,strongly corded
up, bound hand and foot, each to the bench upon
which he was seated—is not the conclusion to be
arrived at perfectly transparent P Namely, that as
they can be released from the cords (no matter how)
at that stage of the performance, and then fastened
up again securely (no matter by what agency) they
might, they obviously Were released from their
bondage upon each of the previous occasions when
the musical instruments were agitated—resuming
their fetters in time enough to appear manacled
as before when the clamour had ceased.

Seeing that the principal mystery (Bei disant) of
the whole of this very ludicrous eirnibition consists
in the tying and untying of these same amiable
Brothers Davenport—the question requiring to be
solved in their regard is at the least, it may be
allowed, a knotty question. All that seems to be
needed by them is—what we, for one, should
certainly be disposed to allow them—namely—rope
enough.

Fastened tightly hand and foot in a sitting posi•
tion, immediately confronting each other, inside
the wooden structure (profanely epoken of, more
than once, by the American Showmen as a
Tabernacle) the Brothers Davenport there,
when entirely coneealed from view by the
simple fact of the three doors of this ridi-

culous clothes-press or wardrobe-upon legs being
fastened from within by sliding bolts (the two
side ones by the nimble fingers of their long-armed
exhibitor or showman, Mr Ferguson—the centre
one through the audible snapping of the sliding
bolt by, how shall we express it ? some very Odd
Force, or by the agency of some exceedingly
materialistic spiritualism)—the Messrs Davenport
there and then went through (such as
they were) their nonsensical performances.
If we were seriously challenged to explain how the
whole thing
was managed by them—taunted per-
haps precisely as Sam Wsller was taunted under

cross-examination in the famous case of Bardell v.

Pickwick, with 4, Haven't you got eyes, Mr Weller ?'
—we should be disposed to reply with Sam at once
to the taunt and the challenge—" That's jest where
it is, my lord. If ye 'd a double pair o' patent

magnifiers—ye might perhaps seo through a deal
board or two, and so forth, bat having only eyes,

you see—and using those even last night in a
darkened room, with the gas lowered—our wision's
limited."

-
GENERAL GARIBALDI.—'The following is an ex-
tract from a letter addressed to the Glasgow herald
by Mr Robert M‘Tear :—" Having just returned from a
visit to General Garibaldi at Caprora, I think it will be
gratifying to the public to learn the latest authentic news
from the Island of the Sea.' I found the general in per-
fect health, the wound being completely healed, and without
pain, but leaving a stiffness in the ankle joint, rendering it
necessary to have recourse to the carved oak staff sent him
by a Glasgow working man, and which is now his constant
companion. The general desired that I should inform his
friends in Scotland that the primary object of his coming to
Britain was to visit Glasgow, and that ho would not rest
satisfied until ho had performed that most pleasing duty,
which he hoped to accomplish next year if events in Italy
permitted. In regard to his so suddenly leaving England,
and the controversy which ensued about it, he assured me
that, whatever he might have said or felt in the heat of the
moment, he is now convinced that it was owing to no pres-
sure
good
from Lreign powers, but entirely out of consideration
stone
upon
up soh no wn
him.t h
Hee
courage,
hasand
been had
too heaped
for his health; and he said that, instead of showing any
cowardice regarding him, Palmerston, Lassell, and
a friend to Italy to be suspected for a moment."

LAT EST IN TELLIGEWE

[REUTER'S EXPRESS

THE COMMERCIAL CRISIS IN BRAZIL.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 22.
The business of the past fortnight has been sud-
denly and unexpectedly interrupted, owing to the
stoppage of payment, on the morning of the 10th
inst., of the important banking establishment of
Messrs A. J. A. Souto and Co., and to the conse-
quences which immediately resulted therefrom.
By far the most serious panic ever witnessed in
this city immediately took possession of the public,
and a run commenced on four of the chief private
banking establishments by holders of receipts for
depos;.ts. 016 only of these firms withstood the
unexpected and continued drain on their coffers.
The other three resolved on closing their doors
on the 13th.
In the meantime many respectable firms had
been unable to meet their engagements, and the
utmost consternation pervaded the whole place from
the impossibility of knowing who would continue
solvent and who succumb under the calamity.
On Sunday, the 11th inst., the Minister of
Finance met the directors of the Bank of Brazil,
who proposed, under certain stipulations, to take
on themselves the liquidation of the firm which had
suspended its payments on the previous day.
Nothing, however, could be arranged, and the con-
ference was again continued up to midnight of the
following day. The difficulty which presented it-
self was the expediency of satisfying an immense
number of creditors, chiefly for small amounts,
which, in the aggregate, represented the formidable
figure of 14,200,000 dole.
In the meantime the run on the National Bank

for gold continued till the 14 h inst., up to which
time the Bank had paid away 3,000,000 dollars of
its gold, and in anticipation of the decree authoriEN
ing an increased emission of notes, the Bank freely
discounted on the 12th and 13th inst. to the extent
of 14,000,000 dollArs, and thus alleviated much of
the immediate pressure on the commercial C9MMII-
Dity.

The first decree relating to the counts above
sketched was promulgated on the 13th, and ems
powered the Bank of Brazil, in virtue of the law
of June 5, 1853, to issue notes to the extent of
three times the amount of its disposable capital in
gold.

This was followed on the 14th by another decree
in virtue of the same law, in consequence of the
representation of the Bank of Brazil, granting the
said Bank permission to suspend the payment in
gold of their notes, and making the notes of the
Bank a legal tender in all public departments in
the city and provice of Rio de Janeiro.

A meeting was held the same day at the Bank of
Brezil, at which were present some of the chief
creditors of Messrs Souto and Co., as well as the
representatives of all the banks and banking
establishments of the place, for the purpose of ex.
amining that firm's balance-sheet. No feasible plan
could be resolved on to meet the emergency, owing
to the very large sum due to numberless small credi-
tors, and every one feeling that the responsibilities
of such a heavy advance were too great to be
thought of, notwithstanding the unanimous desire
of preventing a judicial liqu'ds.tion of the suspended
bank. Besides a meeting and representation from
the members of the Praca, another meeting was
convoked by the Minister of Agriculture, Commerce,
and Public Works, on the 16th inst., which was
attended by the directors of banks and heads of
banking-hcu3es, but nothing could be definitively
settled. The Government, however, having taking
the opinion of the Minister of Justice and Finance
on the 16th, a Council of State was called at 9 p.m.
of that day, and it was resolved that a "supension
of payment" during the term of 60 days, to date
from the 9th inst., should be decreed.

'e give an extract fro:u trauslatio❑ of the
decree which WAS published on the 17th :

" In consideration of the extreme gravity of the
commercial crisis which at present weighs down
the commercial community of Rio de Janeiro, dis-
turbing the course of business, paralysing all
branches of industry, and which threatens to shake
to its foundation the public peace and order; and
seeing, moreover, the necessity of adopting some
speedy and Efficacious measure which the code of
laws, as it now stands, does not afford to put an
end to the evils which are much to be feared will

accrue from such a disastrous occurrence; I, in
conformity with the unanimous opinion of the
Council of State, decree—

" Ist. That during six days to be computed from
the 9th inst., the becoming due of all bills, pro-
missory notes, and other securities payable in the
city and province be held suspended and pro-
rogued; and also that all protests, recourses in
guarantee, and prescriptions of above referred to
securities be also suspended and prorogued for
some space.

" 2dly. Article 108 of the Commercial Code
shall apply as to granting time to non-matriculated
forms (of merchants and tradesmen), the which, as
well as conditions granted, can be t ff,..cted amicably,
being adjusted by a number representing two-thirds
of the body of their creditors.

"31ly. The suspension of banks and of banking
establishments during the term which Art. 1 treats
of shall be legislated by the decree of Government."
The law for regulating the winding up of banks
and banking houses which have failed was promul.
gated on the 20th inst., and gives the administra-
tion of the same to two of the chief creditors, as
sisted by an auditor appointed by Government, and
is generally most favourable to the establishments
in question. The first step taken after making
out a balance sheet is, by every available means,
to effect the payment of the small creditors, if
not the whole amount of their claim, then the
utmost the estate of the bankrupt will permit.
Th

Le Approaching Trial of Muller,

Seine time since we stated that Franz Muller, the alleged
murderer of Mr Briggs, would be tried at the ensuing ses-
sions of the Central Criminal Court, which commence on
the 24th inst. This statement was contradicted by a con-
temporary, who stated that there were no grounds for any
such assertion. And again yesterday morning even, we
find a quoted paragraph in another paper, stating that the
announcement that Muller's trial will come off on the 24th,
" has but little foundation in fact, as up to the preeent time
neither the committee of the German Legal Protection So-
ciety nor Mr Beard, the solicitor, who has the management
of the case, nor Mr Maynard, his managing clerk, have
decided whether the case will be fit for trial at that time."
Now, wherever this information has been obtained is of
course no business of ours, nor should we trouble even to
refer to it were it not that the correct statement had been
contradicted in terms so unqualified. Notwithstanding this
contradiction, we are able to state that so far as Mr Beard
is concerned, his brief is not alone prepared, but it is actually,
at this very moment, in the possession of Mr Sergeant
Parry. True, a communication was received from the
Treasury inquiring whether Mr Beard would be prepared
with the defence of Muller this session. Mr Beard, with-
out loss of time, replied that he was prepared, and saw no
necessity whatever for postponing the trial. With regard
to the "great mass of additional oral and documentary
evidence said to have been obtained within the last few
days," scarcely anything more has been elicited than that
with which Mr Beard was thoroughly cognisant before the
prisoner was committed even, but, with a discretion which
cannot be too much commended, ho has held it over till the
day of trial. Thus it will be seen that, so far as the defence
is concerned, the trial will take place this session about the
26:h or 27t'n,

Muller, during his confinement in Nowgato, has con-
ducted himself with the same air of coolness and indiffer-
ence to his position that has characterised him from the very
moment of his apprehension. He spends his time in reading,
and upon several occasions when questioned he has asserted
his innocence of the crime with which he is charged, ad-
mitting at tLc same time that it was " strange ho should
become possessed of Mr Briggs' property." lle positively
denies that the hat in question ever belonged to him. He
persists that in repudiating the charge he has told the truth,
an has coolly remarked, "If telling the truth hangs me, I
can't help it," At times during his incarceration at New-
gate he has shown some signs of depression. and has occa-
sionally been observed to shed tears.

The Confederate soldiers seem to have lost their
antipathy to the Federal coloured soldiers in Grant's army,
and have ceased to fire upon them, as they formerly did,
whenever the negroes made their appearance. That part
of the line where the coloured troops are employed is now
as quiet us any other, and it is noticed that when deserters
come iu they are afterwards frequently found eating with
the negroes, having apparently lost their late prejudiqe,-
4infricanpaper,