The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1854-08-26
; VOLUME XV-NO. sos.


The latter were chiefly Hessc- Darmstadter>-
Most of them died in the course Of the year.
without having succeeded in converting this
property into money; but the relatives and
-:eirs they left behind them in Germany did not
forget these little inheritances. Upon the oc-
cas.on of visit made by lAstor to II Hedelberr
in later years, most of the parties last referred
to, as inhcriting the alotments of the deceased
German soldiers, and residing in Hcdelberg
rnitcd and made our friend their legally author
lied attorney in order to realize some thing II
ossible, from their hitherto useless acres. But
the hoped-for increase of the value of this pro-
pertv was, on the whole, rather slow in coming.
| and the heirs wanted money, money, quick and
ready money. Astor having been applied to
on this score, told them that, in order to get
ready money, they must reckon up the real pr.-
sent value of the cash ITSELF and not any i'm
agned value of the land, and that onIy through
pretty considerable sacrifice could they get cash
for the same. Thcreupon the parties advised
with each other, and finally 4Astor received per
emptory orders to sell, without further delay
Unknown spectators were found; the proceeds
were small, but the heirs got what they wanted
money. At the present day, many of these
pieces of ground are among the most valuable
and most important in the city, and have grad
ualiy passed through Astor into other hands:
the unknown spectators, however, have faded
from the memory of everybody.
Astor at the moment OF the embargo was III
the possession Of several Millions so that he
was able to give his son William B. Astor, who
was educated at Gottingen, the magnificent
hotel on broadway called the "Astor House,
which cost the sum of $500 600
The permission procured by the parish to
send out ships in ballast to bring home silver,
had given -Astor the idea that the same priv
lege might bc extended to vessels despatched
for the purpose of bringing home the amount
of debts due abroad, in goods. With this view
| he went to W ashington, and there, under the
| pretence that he had an important depot of teas
at Canton, obtained the desired permission
send a vessel ththcr in ballast This step
however, was only the forerunner Of another
one. Astor. i'll reality, owned depot of teas
at Canton, and hence it simply came to this;
that he would according to the usual custom
send money thlther to purchase the article.
The exceptional favor of sending schOoners in
ballast to Vera Cruz, which Parish had up to
this time enjoyed, but which now gradually
| extended to other vessels whose destination
was not to bring back gold and silver values
but goods on American account, sufficiently
showed that under certain circumstances there
was no indisposition to grant free exit to ships
III ballast for a particular object. And no"
arose another point, namely, whether empty
| vessels, which, however, had silver on board.
could be regarded in ballast The. precious
metals are, in most countries, not looked upon
as wares, although in some they are so classified
1t was not exactly advisable to bring on !,
discussion OF the question, whether the eNpor-
Idt'oH w SILVER Ill OtnCTWlSc unlauen vessels
should depend npOn it not The query was.
whether a foreign creditor, who had come to
collect the moneys owed him by Americans
mercha nts, would be permttc to take the funs's
really thus received back with him. In Wash
ington there appeared to be every disposition
to allow this Now it was well known, in the
orthcrn ports of the United States that the
leading natiNe merchants Of Canton had never
hcsitatcd to accord their regular correspondents
returning year out and year in from the United
States, certain credits which amounted to con
siderable sums. Upon this Astor based his
plan lie hunted up, among the Chinese sail
| ors or Lascars, on he ships lately arriving from,
China, fellow suited to his purpose dressed
| him as Mandarin, and took him with him to
W ashlngton, where he had to play the part Of
the Chinese creditor under the name of Hong
Qua or kina-IIolu. No one dreamed of su>-
pec'ing the Mandarins identity, and Asor
pushed his scheme safely through. The 5000
600 he sent to Canton were expended there in
tea and other Chine Sc articles, and within 81
year afterwards returned in that shape /"
-Astors hands, and were used by him to excel
lent account. \ stroke of skill had been
achieved, whose morality no one in the United
States doubted for moment
4istor has left fortune of about 81 900 900
chiefly to his only son. His mind was nceS-
sanity busted with the increase of his resources,
and had no other direction. lie was compeled
by physical infrmitv, to repair to Paris, where
tic fo'liu avail himself OF the SkIIfll assistance
OF Baron Dupuvtren. The latter Thoroughly
restored him, and advised him to ride out every
day He frequently took occasion himself I"
accompany bis patient on these rides One
day-and this anecdotc have from The Barons
own month-when riding, he appeared by no
means disposed TO converse; not Il word could
be got out him; and at length Dupuytren de-
clared that he must be suffering from some
secret pain or trouble when he would not speak.
| II pressed him and worried him, until finally
! Astor looscd his tongue 'Look ye! Baron
| he said, chow frighttul this is! ! have here, in
the hands Of my banker, at Paris, about 200, 900
| francs aud cannot manage, without great effort
to get more than p per cent per annum on it
! Now, this very day have received letter
from my son in Newly York, informing me that
there the best acccptances from ! to 2 per
cent per month Is it not enough to enragc :.
man."
| SHOOTING AFrAR.-Wc regret to state that
Il difficulty occurred on Monday Evening last
between James Wilson and Nat c. Clayland,
| which resulted in the former shooting the latter
with pistol. The bullet entered the left
breast inctng very dangerous wound
though hopes are entertained that be VIII re-
cover They are both very young men--N IL
son not more than : years OF age.-ChnrfoffT
Uemnerof
AFFAIR OF Ho$oR-We learn from the
iSouthside Democrat that f. 5. Moore OF " IL
minpton n c., arrested III Petersburg on
+ho : 9Th inst satisfactory information having