The Washington union., 1857-04-24
GENERAL NEWS.

Sin 1917 Paul Spofford now one Of the most prolni
nent merchants in New York entered into copartner-
ship with Amos NJ Hatch in the boot and shoe business
at Hayerb Massachusetts In 1928 they separated and
engaged in different branches of business but there was
no formal dissolution of partnership After that Mr.
Spofford grew richer, while Mr. Hatch grew poorer and
in 1886 he declared bankrupt In ls47 he leda bill
in the late court of chancery against the present plaintiff
for an account under the partnership founded upon an
instrument under seal dated 1929 An was put
in, but the suit was discontinued in November, 1856
subsequently Mr. Hatch commenced suit in q Connec-
cut court the basis Of which Is the coparneTshp agree
ment Damages are laid at the modest sum of 5000 600
The complaint in the supreme court is filed by Mr. Spot
ford asking injunction restraining the prosecution o
any suit based the copartnership in question pre-
liminaTy Injunction has been granted, and motion ls
now pending to dissolve it.
LIFE AND DEAru.-There were ,235 deaths in London
the week before the Washington sailed The births for
the period foot up ,s38 1856 boys and 9O2 girls.
ENORMOUS EMBEzzIENENr The New York papers con-
tain the following startling account of an embezzement
pactsed in that city II hardly possible that such
protcted dishonesty could have been carried on and it
is to be hoped that he will be wanted by the courts OF
justice, and that speedily
''John McIlyeen cashier of the firm of Beck Co,
extensive dealers in dry goods at No 355 Broadway was
recently arrested charged with having during series OF
in which he has been in their employ, embezzled
money to the amount of upwards of Sl300OO. The firm
failed months ago. and wished to ascertain the cause
if possible of their deficiency in funds; they instituted
investigation of their books for several years past and the
discovery of the above deficit in their cash
count made apparent This account had been regu
ary balanced but the balances had been forced and the
difference between the true and false balance had been
embezzed The cashier had enjoyed the fullest conf
dence of his employers and until the discoveries recently
made not suspected
at stated that he has made confession to his employ
in regard to the disposition made by him of the
haZ1p fund m n
and lot Fourth street. opposite Washington Square,
which he purchased with their money. 1t is expected,
also, that considerable property will be delivered up
to them Mcyeen has always stood well in the commu
nity and was formerly OF the commanding officers of
q Scotch crack company in the city 1t is stated that
the failure OF his employers owing to the heavy drain
made by him upon their treasury. He has given bonds
in heavy amount to appear when wanted to answer the
charge against him
KANSAS RrLEF.-The Worcester Bay State discloses a
fact which may be considered to have little bearing
the 500 900 robbery proposed by the legislature of
Massachusetts,. 1t says:
"There lies upon deposite in one Of the banks in
city of Worcester sum exceeding three thousand
dollars which collected for the relief of Kansas 1t
has been upon deposte for months There it has lain
touched through the winters cold when If suffer
ing would to demand its expenditure. There 1t
still es-to be expended probably when sediton again
uprear its head when election shall require the APP
plicaton of a ready fund Of corruption.
'And STILL although this large sum is remaining unex-
pended the Legislature of Massachusetts is called upon
appropriate from bankrupt treasury one hundred thou
sand dollars for the relief of Kansas Money in plenty
all the purposes of charity is now lying idle for
want of subjects upon which to dsbursc it and money
by the tens of thousands is ncesany called for to ap
pease the cravings which have been found not TO coexst
with reality"
COMMERCIAL BANK PERTH AMBoy.--The Trenton Amer
ican says that upon the affidavit of Thomas Il. Smith of
New York. injunction from the chancellor has been is
sued and Messs Oliver s. Halsted jr and Robert S.
Green have been appointed receivers The condition OF
the hank from its quarterly statement, appears to he:
assets SlOS 357 "A; liabilities, s54 ,5Si &C.
HORRIBLE ACCIDENT. The workmen in planning mill
at Newport Kentucky last week. tied rope around the
neck Of one their number who drunk and noisy By
some eas the end Of the rope caught on the shaft which
was In motion. The poor feow, nov sobered by far,
shrieked terribly he found himself dragged towards
the machinery and felt the rope tightening round his
neck One of the hands sprung forward with knife and
severed the rope but in his frightened haste, did it so
bunderngly that he cut the unfortunate fellows throat
ipfcting deep cash. from which the blood flowed abnnd
anty. The wound fortunately, was not fatal.
The s'GnEAr EASTERN We find in the last number of
the Scientific American description of the steamship
Great Eastern" aow being built near London,) with
drawings of her machinery 1t Is confidently expected
that this immense leviahan will be launched In July
August next with all her engines board, and will
make her first trip to Portland Maine, after We
extract the following paragraphs from the description of
her:
"The ship is novel in several important respects aside
from her very extraordinary dimensions The length entire
is $50 than eighth of mile the BREADTH at
the widest point exclusive Of the paddeBoxes etc. is
s3 feet and the depth from the upper deck is 5S feet
Unlike other vessels whether of wood ron she has
keel and, strictly speaking, ribs The shell does not
diminish in thickness strength from the bottom up
wards like other vessels, but is Of equal strength
throughout, like immense tube The lower portion,
however up to line eight feet above her deepest i'm
mesion In the water is constructed OF two thicnesses
shells feet apart the space between being ravcrsed
ongtudnally by 80 continuous strong and watertght
partitions thus forming 80 separate iron chambers, each
provided with suitable cocks by which it be filled
emptied at pleasure to maintain the proper TRIM to
ballast the vessel There four decks, each Of which
strengthens the hull lateray in the ordinary manner
and the whole structure Is crossed by strong and water
tight partitions each capable Of resisting the full pressure
of the water Ia the hull should be damaged and
either compartment filed There ten such trans
verse partitions sixty feet apart and the hull is in fact
designed to be separabe by violence into several scpa-
rate vessels sections; and, in addition there are,
through large portion of the distance longitudinal
partitions thirty six feet apart and extending up to the
lower deck
"Tbe Great Eastern will be mpelled by both pair of
paddle wheels and screw. Tie paddlewheels to be
fifty feet in diameter and to be provided each with
twenty eight paddles thirteen feet in length and three in
depth These will be driven not simply by one engine
IL common coasng steamers again by two,
most of steamers, but by four
engines coupled in pairs pair for each padde-whee