The Nevada journal., 1854-04-07
Per Adams s Co.'S ErpresS.
Arrival Of the Sierra NeVada and
John I. Stephens,

( L. VI. ,. 70. steamer y. l.. stephens arrived
the same day in the evening The news is i'm
portant.
We are indebted to Adams & Co. for the FIRST
/ delivery OF the news, and Atlantic papers.
We are also indebted to Wells Fargo & Co.
for full files of Atlantic papers.
! The Sierra Nevada brings 955 passengers,
of which 40 are women and l25 children. The
/ Stephens brought about SEQ passengers, of
whom 100 were women and 81 were children,
thus making in one day an accession Of 455 wo-
men and children to cur population.
\ melancholy affair occurred on board the
Sierra Nevada on her passage up, as follows
Wednesday evening, March 22d, at halfpast
o'clock, two OF the deck hands got ipto quar-
rel, when VIM. Pratt, the second officer went
from his room to quiet them while doing so
steefage passenger by the name Of John Gard
ner, interfered, Mr.. Pratt requested him to
go away, when Gardner seized him by the
throat and III the sculfie stabbed Pratt twice
IN the breast, and also severely cut the
third officer in the arm. Cardrer attempt
~ u.
Pratt died in about 80 minutes He leaves 4
wife on Long Island he was an excellent Off
Ger and most exemplary man, and was loved
and respected by all with whom he associated.
On coming on board he hal difficulty with
Mr. Pratt, and said he would kill him the first
opportunity. The result SLOW with what
maiignity be haybored his thlert On arriving
in San francisco, he was lodged in the city
prison for examination.
The total number Of deaths in New York for
the week ending March i, were 484
Roland 4. Smith was arrested tried con-
victed and sentenced in one week TO twenty-sev-
en- years imprisonment for robbing the mail.
James Saunders, Marshal of the Hibernian
Society, was On the 9th February, sentenced
to four months Imprisonment in the Peniten-
tiary for having participated in the riot in the
Ninth Ward, Oh the 4th July last
A young man named T. J. May, won the
great prize in the lottery, New York, value
$4,000.
The Republic was detained on account of an
accident which happened to her machinery.
When on the point Of starting, she blew the
bottom Of her cylinder out. Her passengers
were transferred to the Oregon.
THE GARDNER CAsE.-On March 3D. the
jury in the Gardner case, for a fraud on the NIX
ican indemnity funds, returned verdict of gull
ty. The following from the Tribune, will
bring the matter to the minds Of the reader.
A tragic end to a great crime was Yesterday
achieved by DR.. George A. Gardiner, at Wash
ingtOn. Having been convicted OF fraud
upon the Government by which sum amornt
ing to near 100000 was obtained from the
Mexican indemnity money, he was Yesterday
morning sensonced to ten years hard labor in
the Penitentiary. Soon atterward he was
found dead in his room, having, as is supposed.
taken poison, IN order at one blow to escaDe the
disgrace Of his offence, and the lieor of its MN.
shment. The case is as remarkable as anv
recorded il the Causes Cels5res. / large sum
had been appropriated by Congress under tha
treaty oi peace with 1LoXIco, to rey off the
claims Of American citizens, who at yarious
times had suffered injury at the hands of the
Mexican authorities. A special Commission
consisting Of George Evans of Maine. Caleb
b Smith Of Indiana and Robert Treat Paine
Of South Carolina. was appointed to examine
these claims and daclde what was due To the
respective claimants. Among them Dir. Gard
iner came forward with all sorts Of documents
duly signed and scaled to prove that he had
been the owner Of valuable mine in the De
partment OF San Louis Po.osi, aid that the
MeXicans had broken up his mining establish
ment, causing him Q loss Of some LalfmiJIion az
dollars, more or less After lookiag int3 tfe
papers, and weighing the arguments presented
in behalf Of DR. Gardiner the Commission
finally awarded him. ii not the whole q larger
sum, as we believe. than was given to any other
single claimant he got the monav paid his
counsel a large part Of it, and will The rest
was a rich man. Soon after this he vent to
Europe, and while there The suspicion became
so strong that his whole claim was Il fraud,
that an lDjunctloA was laid on q considerable
portion OF the money which he had left in ban,
at ashington lie returned and was Indicted
about three years and u half ago. lie VS.
first tried under the Indictment about q year
since, hut that trial resulted in the disagree
ment OF the July. The evidence against him
was procured by the commissions sent to Mex
lco expressly for the purpose. 1t was very
conclusive the papers on which his claim had
been prosecuted before the indemnity Com
missioners were proved to have been for the
most part forgerics, and forgeries of q gross
character and il VAS shown that the mine he
claimed to have lost had never had an existence
Still his case was managed with ability, and
the evidence he furnished on the FIRST trial was
such as to stagger and divide the Jury on the
question Of bis guilt. We believe however,
that IN the interim additional proofs were
obtained, which no longer left the possibility
of doubt and which not only resulted in the
verdict rendered yesterday, bat in the infiction
| of the luw's EXTREMIST penalty by the Court.
The next stage in the drama was his suicide, a
terrible confession Of the justice ofhis sentence,
an awful blow to the friends who had stood by
him through the prosecution. @
EXPLOSION OF THE KATE KEARNEY.-The St.
Louis and Alton packet, Kate Kearney Mol,
exploded her boilers on the 10th February
She was just in the act Of starting from the
wharf at st. Louis, and had on board about So
passengers, besides the officers and crew, when
hon rtarbOapd hoilar b,,r,+ !.