The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-11-09
From our Regular New York Correspondent.
Matters and Things i'm New York.

From our Regular New York Correspondent.
Matters and Things i'm New York.
New York, Oct. 29th, 1854.
In the midst of an exciting political canvass,
this city has been startled by the announce
ment of the sudden and almost simultaneous
decease of several of our prominent merchants,
professional men and other residents, by dis
case resembling cholera AS in each instance
the attack occurred Immediately after the vic.
tim had partaken of a lunch or supper of oys-
tiers, and the symptoms were alike in all cases,
it is the universal belief that some poisonous
property in these shell-fsh was the cause of
the malady. This supposition is confirmed by
information from Baltimore, where the oysters
and crabs of the Chesapeake seem to have pro-
duced similar effects. Among the citizens who
have fallen victims to this strange disorder are
Edwin Williams, an eminent statistician aud
forcible newspaper writer James Foster, Jr.,
wealthy shipping merchant, formerly princi-
pal proprietor of the old dramatic Line " of
New York and Liverpool packet ships, lem
bracing the Sheridan, the Garrick, the Ros-
cius, and the Siddons,) and better known in
this fashionable world as Count Foster" the
musical "diletante ;" John H. Cornell, Esq,
Cashier of the Mechanics Banking Associa-
ton, most estimable man Robert Smith,
Esq, formerly Alderman of the 5th Ward
ond Nooy;C II n,v,l,c., =, rocnoot,blo ,,>o,,,
Der of che New York Bar. There have also
been two deaths in Orange county, in conse-
quencc of eating oysters, and many persons in
this city, Brooklyn, Williamsburgh, and Ho-
boken, have suffered severely from cramps and
cholera morbus, supcrinduced by the same
cause. All the parties whose names have been
mentioned were alive and well six days ago
Most of them were elderly men, their ages
ranging from fifty to sixty. Mr.. Cornell,
think, was in his tfty-sixth year, and Mr.. Eos
ter about the same age.
Something akin to a panic has, as you may
suppose, been created by this sad visitation
Oysters are prohibited and the large and prof
table city trade in these articles is literally
brought to stand-still. No more fries, or
stews, or broils, or dozen raw. The oyster
stands are deserted the sacri6cial knives are
getting rusty; the bivalves are permitted to
rest in their beds undsturbed, and thousands
upon thousands of the salacious delciacies that
last week would have retailed at two dollars a
hundred, are now absolutely rotting on the
hands of their purchasers. l understand that
Mr.. Chiffon, the analytical chemist, who is
supposed to know everything from the cause
of the milk in the cocoa nut to the ingredients
of Pease's candy, has been asked to examine
into the phenomenal condition Of the shrews.
berrys," and East Rivers, and report thereon
The oyster vendors are deeply interested in a
speedy solution of the problem, and have nc
doubt that the question" Are the oysters Of
1854 poisonous ?" will lead to controversy
as exciting and profound as that on the salt
petre difficulty. -.
As the It'll of November approaches, the
complexities of the political canvass become
moro intricate and pulling. Even the Reform
Party are not too immaculate to dabble lit
tie in the trucking of electioneering. Schell
the hard candidate for Mayor, has been indu
ced to withdraw in favor of Wilson G. } unit
the standard bearer of the Reformers, who j.
now the nominee of three organizations. The
Know Nothings are divided on the Mayorali
ty; and J. l. Herrick, the Wing candidate
expects to get the votes of half the members
of the order of this city. The Germans sup
port Fernando Wood, as the representative Of
the liquor interest, and he has played his card:
so adroitly in both sections of the Democratic
party, that his election would not surprise me
although think Herricks chances are better
than his. John II. White, the President o.
the Crystal Palace Association, is the Wing
candidate for Recorder, and as be will un
doubted1y receive the whole Know Nothing
vote, his success is nearly certain. There i
not municipal Office in the gift of the people
to which there are not at least four aspirants
In such cross6re of factions, and with such
variety of special interests involved in the con
test, it is difficult to frame scheme of proba
biiities worthy Of any confidence.
In the case of Alderman Barr vs.. Henri,
Erber, the jury have disagreed. Mr.. Erben
as foreman Of a late Grand Jury, assisted il
presenting Mr.. Barr as guilty Of corruption