The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-09-04
Correspondence Of the Dispatch.

Correspondence of the Dispatch.
Sah Sulphur Springs Meeting IN
Behalf Of the Norfolk and Portsmouth sufferers =
Subscription, &c.
SALT SULPHUR SrnrNes, Aug 90
| So many Interesting letters have appeared ID
your paper from this place, that to one not in tht
habi. OF writing for the public 1t IL difficult to say
| anything that has not been said before. Never.
| theiess my admiration for the manner In which
the proprietor here conducts affairs, which to me
seem very difficult, prompts me TO add my voice
| 10 the praise already bestowed-and deservediy
| so upon Mr. Erskine sod his immediate assistant
| Mr.. Merriiore Here order, neainess, poiteness
/ prompt attention, and spirit OF accommodation
are manifest In all the arrangements, which pre-
ceed with the quiet and poiseess regularity u
clock work. The rooms are comfortable; the table
unsurpassed for Tbs variety of It's dishes which af'
| foids egua grasifcation TO the invalid, who il
compelled TO bs rigid 10 his diet, well as to the
more fortunafe, who require such particularly.
| The servants polite and attentive.
There fs foe band of music capable OF chasing
away du II care from the dejacted, and OF inspiring
all with cheerful animstoa. Before tea every evens
ing Il flows forth concord OF sweet sounds from
sand erected the lawn, aud at isht sfords 10
| to those who dance the means of pleasant recre-
| alton. ... .. .s
One night las, week we were entertained by a
| concert from the band which lid them credit, aud
| afforded considerable amusement. 1t a
very pleasing variety to the utual routine of life
| at the Spriugs The following night there was a
| faucy bali-ihe first ever saw, and which shall
| not attempt to describe. hoping that some more
| capable pen than mine may do so
| There Is a very pleasant company of about
three hundred persons here, mostly, believe, from
the Carolinas-whose sons and daughters un-
surpassed in chivalry, beauty, grace and refine
| ment; long may they continue TO share with
| those of the Old Dominion the benefit and social
| pleasures of our watering places
On Sunday morning, the Rev, DR.. Fuller, OF the
Baptist church, from Baltimore, gave most eIo.
qusnt sermon upon the parable of the Prodiga
| son. In the afternoon we had very able and
| practical discourse-delivered most impressivey
by the Rev. Mr.. Caldwell, of the Episcopal
! church At night we concluded the duties of the
day by holding meeting for the purpose of evfn-
cling our sympathy for our fellow citizens of Nor-
| fOk and Portsmouth,. Rev. DR.. Fuller was called
| TO the chair, and opened the meeting with few
| appropriate aud feeling remarks. Mr.. George l..
Brent, OF Richmond, was made secretary. A COM
| n.ee OF twelve was appointed to solicit coutrbu.
tious. They entered at upon their dulles and
whil.t 40 engaged, the meeting was addressed by
Mir. Cooper, oil Portsmouth, who gave account
OF the dreadful scourge which is now desolatiug
our sister cities. Il was melancholy qualification
to US to participate In such proceedings, but q
very slight manifestation of the feelings which
must have animated those who were present.
Who of us could tall to sympathize deeply and
sincerely, with those people whom an inscrulibls
Providence Is visiting with such awful afh ction
A heart of stone would bleed to read the ac-
counts which daily reach US. For one, am thank
fu tor the opportunity thus offered, and though
could only pu, in my mile, yet 1t was done most
cheerfully, and with the prayer that He who sent
would also stay the pestilence. Truly are " 9 now
taught our entire dependence upon bis watchfu
providence, and should we not thank him for cur
blessing The visitors here send about $3.50 as
their share of the contributions to our stricken
friends.
1t is time to conclude this most dull epistle, and
| do so by commencing the Salt Sulphur Springs to
M hos Ar,lx, n
here three years ago, and was treated by Mr.. Err
skine and his family with the kindest attention,
which hope never 10 be 30 ungrateful to forget
r.
THE NORTH STERLING NEW YORK TRAGEDY
We published yesterday an account OF ahorribe
murder at Sterling, near Oswego, New York. A
man, his wife and son were killed by another SOD
The testimony before the full and d.
rect, and fixed his guilt beyond question. When
charged with 1t by neiehbo he admitted The crime
He hail been Imprisoned some time since for
horse stealing. His father, by giving to neigh
Dor chattel mortgage on his farm borrowed a
| hundred dollars, and freed his Subsequently
| that neighbor's son died, and the present mur-
| derer, instead OF manifesting what his father
| thought would be proper respect, ridicued the
ceremonies, he and his parents being Catholics
| On this the father and son quarrelsd and In the
night, when the three were sleeping, he killed
them all with an axe. Dr. Proudi. thus testified
before the coroners jury:
was called this morning by Patrick Fitz.
geralds. of the murdered man, who said his
folks were all poisoned or killed. l asked bin
what was the matter said John was carrying on
like the devil, and said there were negroes In the
house asked Patrick II there any poison Ia the
house; SAID his mother had told him John had put
poison Ia the sugar last Sunday.
When | came to the house, saw James the mur-
dered son, lying on the fl .or covered with blood;
had large cash in the facs or jaw, ANA one large
cash, three quarters of inch above in the temple;
| thought II done by an axe; sewed up wounds Have
examined the bodies of Mark, (he father) Mary 1.-THE
motheT) ana James Fitzseraids; find MARI Fuzse-
| ia ds neck literally severed from the body exc.p..
ing akin. in two places; said wound. in my opinion
/ was made with axe, while deceased was In he'd
| causing instant death.
Mary Fitzserads has four wounds, one superb ,ial
| wound In the neck; the large bio vessels are not
cut; one wound the left shoulder penetrated into
| the muscles that capped the shoulder one toward
tue hight she uder, partly severng the spinal column
ana one about half an inch above this, penetrating
ssnuDgly nave no doubt of the blows inflicted caus.
| lug her death. James mad wound on the cheek
and one on the temple mads with axe; am salis-
| ned they were the cause of his death.
saw an axe in the door yard that had bleod on
the holve In several places think from rust on it.
that 1t had been washed the handle was oured ana
scrapeo During the whole time of examination,
John was In great excite hent, saying, 'Oh. my
| father; oh, my moth9r; OBJ my brother; what made
me DO this" or "why did | do tbi.?,
The following lie the atatment of Messrs Adie and
r Fium to whom the prisoner made confession
Jshn Fltzgeralds eonfesses that he did kill his
O'clock on he morning of Thursday, Aug so; that
since the funeral of his brother the 9th of Nav
(which he did not attend his parents have been dis
p-ased with him, and he angry with them for their
course which anger has grown upon him. till about
week ago he tried TO poison them by putting seme
strychnine fnto tumble of sugar.
" 1t was from the same bottle which was found in
i ms trunk Says 40 oEe knew anything of his inten-
tion TO kl them"
Afer the exsminetc Of witnesses Ju,tice Tiff I'd
requested the presence of the prisoner On
Ing, be said to him, john, you charged with
the murder of your father, mother and brother |
wish to ask you few question: but will say you
that you mead not answer ualess you ehooss Do
you Know how your father, mother aud brother IT,
ceived their wounds y
Pnsoner-"I do; with an axe"
Justice" 10 whose bands1"
frtsoner-"in MP owl. l tried to poison father
and mother about week ago"
Justice - What was the poison in ~
PIis ner-"In q phisl 10 nv trunk I cot n In
Oswsgoi don't know who of. / did not get nois n
with intent to hill father and mothern
Justice" Had you conversation with any one In
reiston to the matter before you committed the
deedp
Prisoner-"I had q conversAtion with some one
about killing father and mother, but object telling
with whom"
We were admitted to the room containing tn.
bodies, which had been washed and laid out. Willis
we stood sszing at the lifeiess FORMS slight op
Ing was made by these surrounding the bed, and he
murderer stood before Us, looking at his victi ms
hardly breath broke tho stiiloess, he gsxsa 1T
thsif psiiid, upturned faces, ua;il sob broke from