Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-12-28
DEPARTMENT. NEWS.

4 d.
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT Gsncrai Land Office
Kansas Isvritory.--We learn that the necessary
instructions have been Issued by the Commissioner
of the General Land Office, in compliance with the
request Of Indian Agent McCaslin, for the employ
ment of q surveyor to mark the southern and west
crn Miami lines, and also tho southern and west
ern lines Of the Peoria and Kaskaskia reservations
Agent N. states that there are quite a number Of
persons located near these lines and Ahat having
no means of knowing whether they are on the
Indian reservations not, he is at loss 10 know
how TO proceed. These lines were surveyed more
than twenty years ago. and IL Is supposed have be-
come somewhat obliterated.
Fer aud Wisconsin River Graaf.--The Secre-
tary Of the Interior has decided that selections OF
the 60,S32 acres heretofore claimed and held in
suspension, land the lands held ont of market by
the request of the executive of Wisconsin, with the
expectation of procuring the Legislation Of Con-
gress theren,) cannot be legally selected for the
Fox and Wisconsin river grant, under the acts OF
August s, lS46, and August 3, 1884, and the joint
resolution OF March 3, 1865, from the alternate
sections remaining TO the United States within the
limits of the grant and that the tracts covered by
these temporary selections have not been offered
for sale.
The Disposal of Tie Public Lands.-The Com
missioner of the General Land Office has decided
that no act of the Territorial legislation of Kansas
lands-that being matter over which Congress
has exclusive control-and that the laws of Con-
gress in regard TO presumption and sale, must ex-
clusively govern the department. in its management
Of the pnblic domain.
The lighthouse o., Grand bland.-In the case
Of the lighthouse reservation on Grand Island, the
Commissioner of the General Land Office has de-
cded that the arbitrary change Of the section lines
does not invalidate any rights acquired according
IN ha old r.lof kaf.r ~
fore such change will not affect the reservation
which has heretofore been made and acted on in
reference to this lighthouse.
FATAL FASArrcIsx- Millcrites and Spirit.
ualists have been arrested In New Haven, ON s,is-
picion of having had hand In the murder Of JUS
tus Matthew'S who was found dead near that city on
Monday morning, with his throat cut and his hands
tied behind him. IL appears that man named
Sly, of that city, has residing in his house woman
named Wakeman, who is the founder of a religious
sect called Wakemanites. This woman pretepds
10 have been murdered thirty years ago, and to
have returned to earth for the purpose Of expound
ing more clearly the Bible, and giving her expert.
ence Of the spiritual world. Quite a number of
persons in New Haven were of course, stupid
enough to believe her; and regular meetings were
held at her house. At one Of these meetings, on
Sunday evening last, Justus Matthews, with sew
eral other individuals, were present.
Widow Wakeman, the prophecies, complained
that she was haunted by Matthews, whom she
styled :" the man Of power, with an evil spirit =
s. that he was drawing a terrible power over her.
Others then suggested that he ought TO be killed;
and Mathews, himself, said that he was willing to
die, TO quench the evil spirit. Almost all present
agreed that, for the widow Wakeman's sake, he
must be got out of the way--thst he must die
and, about o'clock, the deed was committed, pos
sibly with the consent of the sufferer. Praying,
and other religious exercises followed the tragedy,
though not In formal manner. These deIuded
beings doubtless killed Matthew'S in order to keep
from him enchanting the widow Wskeman, whose
death they believed would be followed by the de-
struction Of the world
NoRroLK ArrAIRs.---Apothecafie Han, a prom.
inent building in Norfolk was sold on Saturday to
W. H. Broughton, for 1880. Three negroes
were arrested on Monday on suspicion Of being
connected with the underground railroad, and
being about 70 become passengers on the same
Seventeen members Of the Free Mason street Bap.
tst Church fen during the epidemic, and the Rev
Tiberius Jones, the pastor, preached an eloquent
sermon In memory OF them on Sunday. A girl
named Louisa Judkins was severely bitten on