The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-05-04

Correspondence Of the HeraIdl
BERLIN, March IS, I843.
Atcful Disclosures in Beriin-Amusements Of the
Court-Busness.
JAMES GORDON BENNETT, ESQ.,


Cout-Business.
JAMES GORDON BENNETT, ESQ.,
So little has occurred in this quarter which
would interest the American public, That several
months have passed without my being able to make
a communication to you, and even now have no
thing of much importance to relate. Since the
meeting OF the repres ,ntarives noticed IN my last.
the political movement has been dyiag away. but
some excitement of domestic nature has been
created by series of robberies, housebre altIng,
shoplfting, and similar exploits, which commenced
with the new year, and one of which is distinguished
by circumstances of peculiar atroclty Owing to
the strange system of secrecy that prevails here, the
particulars were not mentioned in the newspapers
until several weeks after the public had been in pos
session of them. They are p iollOws:-The houses
in this city are generally very large, and inhabited
by several families the floor, and the apart
ments be onging to the different inmates can be
shut out from the general communication or lobby
by means OF glass doors The scene Of this outrage
in the outskirts of the city; the family inhabi
ting one of these divided stories being from home,
had lett their apartments under the care OF the aid
servant, who fastened the glass door at dusk from
vague feeling OF apprehension caused by the lone Ii
ness of the place. Soon after the bell was rung, and
person came to make an enquiry; the girl opened the
door cautiously, but the vestbue being dark, three
rushed in after the first, threw her down, gagged
her, to abuse her in the most cruel and
inhuman manner. The bureaux and drawers were
then broken open, and riled OF all the money and
valuables, amounting to about $780, and the wretch
ed girl was finally dragged into the yard, and left
there in state that defes NJ description She was
found BONE hours after, and recovered by medical
assistance, when she gave the above Information;
but has remained in the most precarious situation
ever since. The perpetrators OF this outrage have
not yet been discovered, although the police aret
continually the alert and considering the strict
surveillance they maintain in this city, it might be
thought they would not be long in ferretng them out:
No reward has, however, been offered, as twould
have been In the United States in England; so,
that Notwithstanding the boosted vigilance of the
liberties, these monsters in human shape have hiih
erto remained unpublished. Many more robberes
have been Committed this winter; some persons
have been stopt in the Park by footpads and robbed
OF the property they had with them In word, the
capital of Prussia cannot boast of better morals than
the other large cities of the old new world, and
the Mary Rogers tragedy IS not without its parallel
out of New York.
more pleasing picture than this, and one that
has been the constant theme OF conversation for Sc
veral weeks previous is the grand masked ball given
by the King to the nobility, merchants and citizens
OF Berlin, on the 18th ut. The public in general
were on the tptoe of expectation, it being the first
entertainment OF the kind that has taken place since
the accession OF his present Majesty, none Of
his predecessors having given a similar fSte, to
which all classes of his subjects were admitted.
Four thousand tickets were distributed, and at the
appointed time four immense long lines of carriages
drove up to the different entrances Of the palace.
The. company in general appeared in dominos,
while the Royal family and the Court sustained
parts in a splendid pageant, representing Alfonso
dEste, Duke of Ferrara, the well-known patron of
TassO, surrounded by the principal Italian sOve
relgns OF his time. The dramatis persona were
follows =
Alfonso H. dEse, Duke Of Ferrara Prince of Prussis
Barbara OF AUSTRIA Duchess of Ferrara the Queen ug
lelmo Gonzaga Duke Of Manua Prince Charles OF Prus
sa; Leonora dEste. Alonsos sister, Princess of Pusss
Cardinal Ludovco dEste Prince George Hesse; Leon
ora, Duchess Of Mantua Princess Charles; Aessandro
Farnese Prince Of Parma Prince Waldemar; Ladies and
Gentlemen OF the Court &c. &c.
In Of the most splendid apartments ofthe palace
called the white saloon series OF fnbeaur ripants
were produced tor the entertainment at Alfonso and
his court under the direction of two gentlemen, who
performed the characters OF the poets Tasso and
verse, in which Tasso stated, that the creations OF
the immortal ArlostO, Spirits heroes, and ladies fair
had been summoned to the presence of the duke,
and only waited his permission to appear before him.
Upon sign to that effect by the duke the procession
of masks entered to the sound Of march, composed
by the celebrated Myerbeer who superintended the
musical part the festivity The hrst quadrii,e
sisted OF the Emperor Charlemagne Count Branden-
burg,) attended by the fabulous kings Of Brittany.
England, and Denmark, the Dukes OF Bavaria Bra
bant, and Aquitane, and all the Paladns Then fol-
lowed the second quadrie thu sorcerers and fairies,
amongst whom l will only mention the enchanir.ss
Alcina, represented by Countess Rossi Che well
known cdntatrice MademUiseiie Soun'pg) and ac
companied by all the Eymphs and Knights ~ho hid
Oeen metamOrphOSed into trees by the eDchautftss
Alcina, but liberated, which appeared by the planes
on their helmets having still the shapes of trees
The third quadrlle was composed of characters from
Orlando Furoso-Or ando( Prince Augustus OF Wur.
temberp) Angelica ,AstolfO Ruggiero, &c ;te fourth
the Saracen Army of Agramsnt, with their christian
prisoners After the quad had bee executed the
poet Tasso advanced and repeated some lines from
his " Jerusalem delivered" requesting the orders
of TIE Duke OF Feara for the tdbsaur vipants be
introduced, which formed the third part of The fest
val They consisted of the following scenes from that
poem the Angel Gabriel appearing to Godfrey of
Bouillon, the Army of the Crusaders before Jerusa
lem, the Wiles of Armida, Erminias visit to the
Shepherds, and the Death of Chlorinda-all from
drawings by Cornelius.
After the close of the performances, the supper
rooms were thrown open and about 200 guests took
their places at the tables presided by the King and
Queen /; the remainder of the company were servsd
in the other saloons beautets, with refreshments
consisting of all thedelcacles inseason and outo
son. After supper dancing recommended in the white
saloon as well as in the other apartments which were
all fitted up for the purpose. TheKing was walk
ing from one party another, dressed in plain do
mDo, and behaved with an affability and cOnde-
scenson, that has quite overcome his loyal subjects
In this respect the ball may be considered as sort
Of political manGuvre, having acted counterpoise
to the dissatisfaction occasoned by of the
sures lately adopted by government. This cheap
way of allayng any symptoms OF a refractory spirit,
and if it has had such effect, the 1000 dollars
bestowed on the tfte may be considered well
spent.
AcOmnck, Va.