The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-01-28
The Lost Steamship Pacific.

The bottle picked up.-Some time since, we
published an account of the discovery of q
bottle which had hoated ashore on the coast
OF France, containing a paper purporting to
have been written by passenger On board the
Collins steamship Pacific, just as she was going
down. This story was supposed to be hoax,
but there is another chapter of it. The editor
of the Norwalk (Conn.) Gazette, believing that
the paper was written by Legrand Smith, of
Norwalk, passenger on the steamer, wrote at
once to friend in Paris, DR.. Evans, to make
inquiries about the affair, and especially the
handwriting of the note found. By the Africa
an answer was received, in which Dr. Evans
says that he feels there can be no doubt about
it. He had obtained possession of the slip of
paper found, and states the circumstances as
follows:
~ was on a professional visit to the Empress
the other day and in conversation mentioned
the subject, in which she became most intense
ly interested. The Emperor here entering, the
Empress said: MY dear, DR.. Evans has been
telling me of the possibility of ascertaining the
fate of the Pacific ! then repeating what
had said regarding the receipt of your letter,
&c. The Emperor, who is a man of noble
heart, at once entered into the details of the
subject. Upon my relating it to him, he said
it interested him exceedingly, and he would
Immediately send for the scrip of paper. He
being q very prompt man, and foil of kindly
feeling, did 80, and sent me, directed by him.
self and sealed with his own private stamp, the
said paper which now have in my possession,
and which is acknowledged, by all who have
seen it, to be an Americans handwriting. 1t
is hastily ,oritten in pencil.
SHOW l wish to obtain, through you, his own
handwriting, to compare with what have, as
of course / cannot send you the original, but
will have q fac simile taken, if possible, to
send you"
The Gazette anticipates that further investi-
CATION will decide the question, beyond doubt,
as to the genuineness of this curious waif. The
friends of the lost Smith are, as may be ex-
pected, greatly interested in the result.
The Portsmouth (va.) Transcript has the
bllowing account of shocking affair, which
was briefly alluded to yesterday, as having &C.
cured in Gates county, N. c.
"On Monday afternoon, negro man belong.
ing to Mr.. Seth Benton, of North Carolina, who
had been hired out to work on q railroad, was
to have left Holy Neck, in Nansemond county,
on that day, with a number of others, for the
place of his labor, but on the departure of the
gang he managed to be left behind. Shortly
sfter, he proceeded to the house of Mrs. Hol-
t6uO1 y WluOW l8Uy, WnOm ne murdered. ne
then went towards the residence of Mr.. Whit
well Jones, but meeting him short distance
from his house, killed him also, and with
large club msngled his head in shocking
manner. He afterwards made for the house of
Mr.. Uriah Rswls, where he would doubtless
have destroyed whole family, had they not
been appraised of hiscoming. Mr.. Rawls went out
with double.barreled gun, and as the negro
approached he fred, but the charge being of
small shot, it did not stop him, and Mr.. Rawls
discharged the other barrel with no better et
feet. The savage then pursued him, and was
Just upon his heels, when Mr.. Rawls suddenly
turned and struck him severe blow with the
breech of the gun, which felled him to the
ground apparently Gfeless. He, however, re-
vived in short time, arose and ran across an
adjoining fed, when he discovered another
woman, Mrs. Rowel, bat she succeeded in ma.
king her escape from him. BY this time the
alarm had spread through the neighborhod, and
the negro was pursued by several persons we'll
armed. He made for the swamp, and attempt.
ed TO hide himself, but was &na ly over.aken
and shot The excitement created in all that
region was intense. The news spread rapidly
from house to house, and it was supposed that
general instruction had commenced. Mes.
sepgers were sent in various directions. The
peopleturned out in large numbers, and repaired
in haste to the several points where it was
supposed their services might be needed.