The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-08-07
Dispatch Tor the sprinus
The Rnuus HabY.

The Bogus Baby.
Mrs Cunningham, fred with revenge IT the grow
Ing reputation Of Miss Madeleine Smith has made
most daring attempt to recover her lost no
toriety and-sacure the lands tenements an,
hereditaments Of tho late Harvey Eurdeil. Al
New York is agog with the brilliant operation. Il
will be soon that unknown TO herself, she had th'
able cooperation Of the District Attorney, Mr.
Hall, and her family physician, DIR. Uhl. Tho Dis
trict Attorney, who made complete botch of IN,
murder prosecution, seized upon a chance TO re
trieve his reputation, like famished grimalki IN
upon a plump rat, and. 1t must be confessed, has
made the most Of il. 1t will be seen that the il
teresting reict Of the late DIR. Burdeil had laid
regular plot 20 produce heir to his estate, WeI'
by she could come into possession thereof 10 '"'
exclusion Of his blood relatives. She ''hs"'''u
DR. Uhl, her family physician; DR. VA c"i'"'',
the District Attorney; the District ATTORNEY :"
rected him to pretend Acqniesc'h'c' '''' ~ "
Cunningham was gratfed in her utSI'e' anu n,'T
entered upon a confinement which VIII oe p'oo"piy
continued for ten years in the penitehtMry before
she is delivered.
Tb,ro ara probably few people who after Il g
,,-.,os,rc win he disposed to doubt that the al
,,gcd marriage with Or. Burdell was all a sham
or that Mrs. Cunningham the real murderer
q
bnt by that of some of her male associates In Dr
BurdelIs house. Having been tried and acquitted
of that crime there is no chance for her punish
ment, whatever circumstances may he developed
by the unlocked for turn affairs have now taken
The gossips have revived the rumor Of the murder
Of her husband, Mr. Cunningham. DR.. Catlin, who
ofciated accoucher the late interesting occa-
sion, attended Mr.. Cunningham at the time OF hs
hat nd tha o,I.;.ic
declared to Dir. Uhl that she had him in her power
At any rate, the Burdell excitement, with new
scenery, decorations and characters, has been r.
produced in the shape of farce after the tragedy
Faint hopes are entertained that Ecke who has
never been tried for the Burdcll murder, may yet
be induced 10 appear upon the stage, or rather
the plaiform-aud that DR.. Burdcls angry 5ha!
may finally be appeased,
Some Of the New York papers strongly condemn
the professional ethics by which the present dsclo.
sure was brought about, though DR.. Uhl scrns to
have acted in the matter from a desire to do right
and testified before the examining justice that hc
only consented to play part upon the strong soil
citations of the District Attorney.
The New York Tribune, commenting upon lat
rencontre in Louisville says:
Just to think that the poiut OF every paragraph
powder! that the slightest slip Of the pen may BE-
followed by shots! that tho penalty Of reckless
must be the revolver! that all your fun. crit
cism, and personal inSective must lead TO guns
percussion caps and ball cartridges The luAu!
of editing a paper under such circumstances IL
New York, would be altogether too costly. "
should fancy every foot8tep heard upon our stair
TO be that of an assassin"
To publish such paper as the Tribune under
such circumstances and conditions would no doubt
tI,,,,t
and energy, it certainly takes the lead in abus,
and personalities If such state Of things cAistr
anywhere as it represents if harmless pleasantly
and legitimate criticism cannot be INDUCED except
upon the penalty of pistols if journal conducted
with cautious regard to the feelings of contempora-
Ties cannot receive the it metcs to 9th Is
there would be point il the pistol and powder
paragraph of the New York Tribune. Bat, whilst
there are of COURSE exceptions to this, to every
rule, it is ~ a general thing, true that newspa
pers, conducted with dignity and courtesy, may
express themselves freely and Independently upon
all subjects, without any prospect of percussion
caps and ball cartridges"
Of course, 'reckessness." personality and 'in
yective" are "luxuries" which in some ATTITUDES
command high price. But in what way do these
add to the effectiveness OF journalism? Would not
the Tribune he IA strong influential, and com
mand Us much respect, without its ''per5onalitier
and '.invectives Z" Abuse is no proof of ability
calling names and applying unsavory adjectives
is no evidence Of talent; any body can do that ;
jabrds, and Billngsgato tishwomen are the great
est proficients in it, III nature is not wit Nothing
can be farther from wit than abuse True Wit il
has been said, consists in profound wisdom tersely
expressed, and though the article is somewhat
scarce, may be as safely INDUCED, suspect by It
Southern a Northern newspaper OF course the
Trbune's ''luxurcs" and RECKLESS personalities
are q different affair, and, by those who think that
blackguardism ought to be visited with capital
punishment, will be treated accordingly.
1t strikes us that the Tribune would show real
maguanimity, if i'll community where personali-
ties be safely INDUCED. it would abstain from
them, give up the use of those unCouth cpithetr
which abound in its columns, and titus unite with
such elevated and courteous newspapers az the
Commercial Advertiser, the journal Of Commerce
the Boston Courier, and scores Of others which
might be named in practical demonstration that
the pistol is not necessary TO enforce editorial CT