Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-03-21
LOCAL LNTELLIGENCE.

addition to other victims from the moi.
son OF some kind imbibed in W ashington. Wa
learn ma. deorge dford Esq-, lawyer Of
states that he was taken within A few bonrs
AFTER having drank freely of the water.
Among other sufferers IL Peter Cooner
ESQ, VINO, however, is gradually recoyerine
from the effects of the disease he states III al
tnere were over one hundred occupants of the
nUsei - me time hsswas attacked, and tina
All, or nearly all, were seized with illness
within twenty four hours. He noticed that in
the main hall an offensive smell existed,
Tnicn was the only popularity that attracted
MS attention. The attack commenced with
distress OF the stomach, nausea and vomiting,
accompanied With or followed by q severe and
terminating diarrhea- At times the dis
cnarges were 80 frequent as to occur several
times in an hour, and were frequently attend.
. Cd with severe tenesmus.
"Mr. Cyrus w. Field also suffered severely
with the disease, and although enfeebied by
the severe purging, his abdomen retained un.
usual fulness and tension. Mr.. Cooper stated
that some Of his acquaintance had died from
the effects Of the disease. As Mr.. Field re.
CURED proper rest, his physicians thought q
sea voyage would prove advantageous TO him.
Hence he sailed in the Persia
I'VE believe Mr.. Wilson e. Hunt, with sew.
erai other citizens Of New York, were suffer.
srs to greater or less extent.
"What was the nature of the poison which
afflicted 50 large a number of people in such
brief period of time? We have no idea that
II did or could proceed from foul air, other
"iss the symptoms would not have been of
such sudden and uniform development in such
variety of constitutions. 1t was no doubt a
poison OF some kind introduced at the hotel,
either by accident or design. From all the
symptoms of the attacked some respectable
physicians Of this city do not hesitate to Or
nounce them to be Of an arsenical character.
or such as would be likely to be produced by
the action Of arsenic, taken to q certain ex.
tent into the system.
Let the apothecaries in Washington be- ex-
amined, to know whether they have sold poi
son Tor salts OF tarter, or other substances to
the hotel employees, and let confectioners ba
kers, and milkmen be examined. Milk NAV
pnough not at this season probable) be render
cd poisonous By the food Of cattle. The sedi-
ments Of the water tanks should also be ana
lyEed. Such wide spread suffering surely de-
mands at the hands of the Washington au-
thorities the most thorough investigation"
The Newark Daily Advertiser Of the 18th
instant, ssys:
Several persons from Newark, while at
Washington recently, partOok Of the water at
the National Hotel which had been poisoned
BY the rats, and were N ade very sick thereby,
one lady 30 badly that her life has been de-
SPARED Of. Cae or two deaths have already
occurred, and IL is truly providential that all
we're not killed from its eHects.
The Rochester Union says it learns from a
private source, that Hon. D. B Mattesop, is
not expected to recover from the attack Of the
rat epidemic from which he was suffering when
he returned to Utica from Washington.
The editor of the New York Day Book, who
was at the National Hotel at the time of the
Inauguration, rejects the rat theory, and sums
up careful article reviewing the whole case,
as follows:
"HOrace z. Day, Esq., Is now lying very
low in this city. He was boardsr there, and
no doubt Is affected precisely as Mrs. Adams
A daughter Of Senator James is also very sick
and under the charge of DR. Marcy. Dr. Leon
has several patients, including a child of the
writer, who Is very low. That We have all
been poisoned by some substance daily ad-
ministerial to rs in the food, is beyond ques-
ton What the substance was, how, or by
whom administered, remains a mystery. The
proprietors Of the house, We are satisfied, have
used every effort and means 10 their power to
md out the cause Of this widespread infection,
but In vain To them it is az profound a mys.
terry as to any in the land ~
The Daily Jacksonian, of Newark, Saws:
Among the individuals suffering from q
sojourn &C the National Hotel, Washington, Is
our fellow-citisen, Col Hamilton, editor of the
sussex Herald He came on with rs from
Trenton on Friday forenoon, on his way home
He has lost flesh wonderfully, and is still suf-
fering from deranged bowels, producing inces-
SAINT diarrh1a that it seems impossible to
check, and that weakens and emaeiates him
very much he says of forty that partook of
special banquet at the National, every one
was taken down, and are still suferingn 4
The New York Express asks, why In al
most every case sickness results only after
partakiDg of food? and adds sThe mias-
ma hypothesis infers bad atr onIy,-but it
does not appear that the servants and other
employees Of the establishment, who must
have been breathing that air constantly, have
shared TIE mysterious sickness which has
oysrtaken the guests at the public table.
Inis Is curious Circumstance, and one which
The public would be much obliged to the
Board Of Heslth-or some learned medical
authority-to explain"
Very easily explained, Mr. Express the
"circumstsnce" may be "curious " bat Ia not
true In fact, the servants Of the hotel were
taken down so rapidly by the sickness that
guest Of the house land one of the sufferers)
says that he had six different servants waiting
upon him in successor in as many hours one
after another being attacked in turn.
POCKET -PIcKIsG-A FEMALE OPERAroR =
Cstharine Carthsus, q fsshionably dressed,
goodiooklDg young woman, was yesterday ar
rested by Ofcer Boss for picking the pocket
Of Mrs. James Bowen, whose store at the cor.
ner Of Sixthstreet and Massac husetts avenue.
she entered on pretence Of examining some
goods. She gave security for her appearance
at Court The money was recovered. Cath
sIine is from Baltimore, and has been opera
ting 10 this city ss an omnibus thief, in com.
pany with confederate named Mary Ksssler.
A CorREsPosDkxr calls attention TO the
condition Of the sewer on the south side of
fennsylvanla avenue, nearly opposite the Ma
tonsl Hotel, and which is in 90 flthy a con-
dition, as to make it great nuisance in that
neighoOrhood.
the city authorities win doubtless give il
an oTerhsulipg
"AuSH lrALIA--We take pleasp 70 in an
nounelng that the success attending this M ar
itoricus exhibition has induced the manager
20 stay IN our city one week more Arrange.
ments have been made with several a, soci.-
lions and schools to attend on W ednesday and
saturday afternoons when Sig Vivaldi Will
introduce his L liputian Family. ,E.bib;tion
every night st ST o'clock.