The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-08-20
tragedy I'm Philad elphfa--A Nephew
IL Rflled by His Uncle.


There was mach excitement oceasioned in Phila-
delphia Monday afternoon by the murder Of VIM.
L. smith, by his uncle, George Preeth. The mur-
derer was employed . few weeks since In Rich
nond, at d gunsmiths, and but very recently re-
turned to Philadelphia. The case 10 one OF an
extraordinary criminal character. The following
account 10 made up from the Philadelphia papers
- Preeth, It appears, IL also an Engiishman ne
came TO this country about IL years since, with ms
wife, and commenced work az q jeweieT' AFTER ee-
coming settled, he returned to England anu on ms
return brought his nephew, Smith, also aye"eier'
with him. Soon after the arrival OF smith din-
Guilty occurred between Freeth aud ms WIFE, IN con-
sequence of its being insinuated thar free.n MAJ
another wife living. Mrs. r., though holnsI Va
seven children. applied for a divorce ABOUT ioui
Years since. and after hearing before Judge hei-
Ter. obtained il. ,,,.;
Freeth was thrown in prison, but was finally as
charged under the two term rule After ms release
he went to Richmond, Va, where he went 10 "oin-
smith meantime continued to live with ms aunt
Mrs Freeth, and it was generally pehe'eu "o are
those who were intimate with them that they were
married At all events child was the feeui' u
the intimacy between Smith aud his aunt. 80
smith continued to work for the Mes Rs. Simo ,
until about three months ago, when he was jus
charged in consequence of his Intemperate nse ia
During the time that Freeth was aosent on. ~. r.
his emnlsyers that the former had carried 10 Eng
land with him gold and silver bullloh anu m~ n
featured articles worth fl20 which ne mao seolen
from and sold in Birmingham. me artc'e S;r~ons
30 accurately described that the Messts. 800
entertained no doubt of the truth OF 'ne ssG. ,
.bout the time smith was discharged Dy ms e
blowers Freeth returned from Richmoho. d.
week since he made application TO onnons 49,. a. 20
for work. when Mr., George "; alnon nj. incsn,ed
him what Smith had told him Inns ..J
Freetb very much. and no doubt directiy iusl'e 49,
the trsgicai act which took place yes'eIu"' ~i'e
noon. it,. p,r+b street he
nd and ye5teEudy CnAth
.,.rtad down town to attend to some BUSINESS
When at Fourth and Cherry streets NC ''.pp Ill
talk to a friend named Henry Harrison anu "hiie
Tins engaged Freeth passed up Fourth street II! a..
mnihns As soon as Freeth saw smith ne got OUT
of the omnibus and approached smith at tle sanl.
time saying, Smith. you are goihe on - 20. a.
me-" Smith replied by saying tha' he ""' NV Nv
ing any thing against him. ;a enid
not nav YOUR passage to this country emtn u..
MED this Preetb then replied II VIII snow you.
At the time pulling from sue pont.d tbs
uer and six barreled revolver kreetn poinle,o VI.
nstol and said-"Smith you are q dead man. uu'
before he could pull the trigger, Mr: farris9n' WY
was talking with Smith, Knocked the pS'oi ou' Vi
Freeths hand pnth
nck al mn his pjstol and ran after him. hen Snltn
reached the Washington Hotel he ran IN, l"iioreu
NV Freeth Both of Thorn ran through the oHI
room, small, low ceiling room' to"slue 80 ha
room; lust as Smith got into small Vestipuie W
tween the bar and kitchen Freeth nred three .lies
two balls entering Smiths breast, kililns hiiii III
about two minutes. =, ,,,.-s
The report of the pistol brought the landloro
down stairs and on reaching the scene, found smith
partially doubled up the floor. with MS nead III
position indicating that he designed running up
stairs Freeth was standing near by, ana ne at one
said to the landlord. Il have done what wanted
TO- and Won NAV send for an officer to arrest me-
Word was sent to the Sixth Ward station House
Sergeant Shuman went to the place ana TOOK rreetn
in charge. The prisoner made the same state,ien.
Al. l. 1,alr In m "a
before and after getting to the STATION mousse lie
became somewhat difficult to manage.
Whilst the officers, witnesses and reporters were
waiting for the Coroner, girl about 10 years OIL
age and bow about H. came into the room where
he body of Smith lying. and, in tears; APP
reached their mother and sobbingly asked, hho
did it?"
their mother replied in semi-conhdential tone
Your father" Both the mother, who had up to
this time sat BY the side of the body, and the two
children were hurried up stairs. AS she went she
expressed great fear that the body might be missed
but on being assured that all was in the hands 81
the police she went up the children going with
her. Sometime after, another juvenile came along
and on being asked what relation Smith bore to
him. said, why, stepfather." He, too, was sent
up stairs sobbing. The Oldest boy. (the runaway
apprentice,) was also there In tears In iact' the
Whole family seemed to be grieving over the fate OF
smith The affections of the children seem to have
been entirely won away from their legitimate ia
Their, Freeth.
THE PRISONERS STATEAEST
Tho prisoner does not seem to be greatly affected
at the critical situation in which he is placed and
seemed to doubt the news of his nephews death
lie conversed with several parties about the mat
ter, during which he stated that ne "sS iorheii!
in the employ of Simons Brother jewelers., bu'
that on being discharged about year ago, Went
,outh where he remained until month or Nv"
ago when he went to New York, and wnen ne "as
,bout to return to philadelphia, purchased the pls
toll taken from him yesterday, thinking that he
might have 4 difficulty with Smith on his return
Ills object in returning WAS to see his chldreh, par
riculary his son Allen, whom he had lett as an ap
prentice with Simons Brother: lie 1ouhd tha'
his son had run away, and yesterday, seeing Smith
he went up to that individual to ask where hi'
Freeth 81 son was. and Smith struck him (the pris
yner) He then pulled out his pistol in selfdeence
REPORTED SEIZURE OF TIE ISLAND OF FoRMosA By
THE UNITED STATES NAVAL FoECE.-A correspondent
If the New York Times, writing from on board the
o. S. flag ship San Jacinto, at Hong Kong, asserts
that the Government of the U. States has decided
to take possession of the Island of Formosa, as Sc
curty for the payment by the Chinese Government
of the indemnity demanded for damages done to
American interests during the disturbances at Can
ton The Times says its intelligence comes from
source likely TO be we'll informed, but hesitates
about giving full credence to it. The correspon-
dents way of telling the story does not increase
confidence in Its correctness. He says:
Some three months since Capt. j. D. Simms Of
the United states Marine Corps attached to the San
Iacinto, mysteriously missing, gone nobody
hut our executives knew where. 1t was under
stood after a few weeks that he had been detailed
for duty; where and for what kind was known on
iy TO the elect 1t is now ascertaien that has IN
tructi0nS to proceedto F6rmoSd aud IN the cit5
y FungShan hoist the american flag and take lorna
0sssss.0n of the Island 1t is to be held as an in
iemnity for the losses sustained by American cit
Zens during the present war. ours being the prior
ciaim will Of course be respected by the contend
ING parties, by the English, French Spanish, all
ii which powers may have finger III this pie
The Island of formosa, reported to have been
seized, lies about ninety miles off the southeast
.oast of China, embraces an area of about 1900
SQUARE miles, and contains over two millions Of
Chinese inhabitants, besides an unknown number
of natives who inhabt principally the eastern
portion of the Island The Chinese who live on the
sland are generally of bad character, as Formosa
has for a long time been used as Il sort of penal
colony for the Chinese Empire the natives are hall
civilized and cruel. The country is we'll watered
and fertile and produces great quantities Of cotton
rice, sugar, with wheat, maize, and various trop-
zeal fruits.
CLERK Aforementioned Cantwell has been sp-
pointed clerk of the United States Court of North
Carolina, and was sworn In at the White Sulphur
springs Virginia, on Wednesday last, by Judge
Wayne.
'OuR OPINION" is the title of a new paper just
commenced In Baltimore, by John T. Ford, Esq,
the we'll known theatrical manager, with c. W.
Tayleure, Esq, as editor.
FROM KANsAs-The Kansas correspondent Of the
Democrat says, that nearly two hundred indict-
meuts have been found against persons III the
If akQ a IN.
dipnant ut Judge Catos decision, that a payment
of taxes is a requisite qualification for voters.
HANDSOME CoNPLIMENT-The London Christian
Spectator says: AS is a general rule. We believe
American theological writers TO be better versed In
modern languages, and more deeply read in ancient