The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-11-11

Baltimore, Nor. 5.-Henry Gambrill, one of
| the notorious gang of rowdies who infest the
southern part of this city, and who murdered
| police officer Benton, about a month since, one
| of the best officers in the city, because he was
| the chief witness against his brother on charge
of incendiarism, was this afternoon convicted
of murder in the first degree. This evening,
police officer Rigdon, who was the principal
witness in the trial against Gambrill, was also
shot dead in the western part of the city, by one
of the same gang. The murder was committed
in the police officers house, and in the presence
of his wife and children. He was an exceed
ingly active and faithful officer, and his sad
death is deeply regretted. The murderer's
name is Crops. Great excitement prevails in
regard to the affair." and threats are made of
lynching the murderer.
The machinery for the new soop of l3 feet
draft, building at the Philadelphia navy yard,
is in process Of construction at the works of
Merrick l. Son, of this city. 1t will consist of
pair of horizontal direct acting engines hav-
ing cylinders fifty inches diameter, thirty inches
stroke. The entire weight of all the machinery
and appurtenances, and of coal for five days,
full steaming, is guaranteed not to exceed 406
tons. The above amount of coal may also be
slowed in the space allotted to the machinery,
which is fifty feet in length of the ship. Al
though the contract was awarded only one
month ago, considerable progress has been al
ready made, and there is no doubt that Messrs.
Merrick & Son will be able to fulfil their agree
ment to complete the whole in six months from
date of contract The ship, it is expected, will
be ready to launch before the close of the
Philadelphia Ledger
A Convention of the shareholders of the East
ern Shore of Maryland assembled at Cambridge,
| in that State, on Wednesday, to take into con-
sideration the subject of the protection of slave
| property, and counteracting the operations of
the Abohtionitsts and their emissaries Ad
dresses were made by several prominent slave
holders, and resolutions were reported, that Free
| Negroism and Slavery are incompatible with
each other, and should not be permitted longer
to exist in their present relations, and calling
General Convention of the State, to meet in
Baltimore, in June next, to devise some system
to be presented to the Legislature of Maryland
| for the better regulation of the negro popula-
| ton of the State A committee was also APP
pointed to draft an address to the people, set
| ting forth the grievances under which the slave
| holders of the Eastern Shore labor. The Con-
| venton was still in session at last accounts
A man has declined being candidate in
| new State, because he is not legal citizen
has never paid tax or any other debt-Owns
no property, can't read or write, is blind, has
lost four fingers from his left hand-has ten chill
dren, and can't leave home for fear they will
abuse their mother. IT,
In Western New York, the Democrats were
unlucky in the names of their Congress candi-
dates Look at the list There were Mr..
Trimmer, Mr.. Skinner, Mr.. Hatch, Mr.. jerks,
and Mr.. Trott. Who could have expected to
succeed with such unlucky nomenclatures
Whether Mr.. Trott made anything of run, we
have not yet learned Hatch is put back into
his shell Skinner has been literally fayed alive
by the enemy; Trimmer could not trim sail well
enough to get through the breakers. All lost
Don't ask, what's in a name?"
Gen. William Walker, the Nicaraguan fiji
buster, is at Browns hotel in this city, having
arrived here on Saturday afternoon last. 1t is
said, by those who profess to be posted as to the
why's and wherefOres of his movements, that his
object is to protest against the late proclamation
of President Buchanan. Others assert that he
has another object In view, and that we are on
the eve of some extraordinary movements with
which he is connected.
On the 30th ult. ten slaves made their escape
from the vicinity of Pruntytown, Va. They
were, however, overtaken in Fayette county,
Pa, where a desperate fight took place, and
the owners and others pursuing, were beaten
back. Col. Armstrong, of the pursuing party,
was attacked by one of the negroes with a corn
cleaver, and would have been killed, but for the
interference of one of his own servants, who
stepped in to protect his master. Another of
the party pursuing was hercely attacked and
badly injured, while the negroes made their es-
cape. A party of about twenty-five persons sub
seuuently started in pursuit.
The St. Louis Republican publishes a COM
muncation from leading Mormon, stating that
they have been traduced and slandered, and de-
handing full and impartial investigation of
all charges against them, with a view of coun-
teracting and overcoming the existing preju-
dices against that sect.
Mr.. Wallace, recently from California, ria
Salt Lake, reports having seen on the plains
1866 vehicles, 8,06l yoke of oxen, 704 mules,
as horses, and l,230 head of loose cattle.
A noteworthy marriage took place in Hart
ford few days since, between two persons OF
high Revolutionary descent viz: ]. Warren
Newcombe, jun, great grandson OF Gen. Jos.
Warren and Mary s., youngest daughter of the tn
late DR.. George Sumner, and great-grand-daugh-i
ter of Gen. Israel Putnam.
Porter's Spirit SAYS We are glad to see
the proposition for reception to Paul Morphy
when he shall return to this country from Eu
rope, has been received with universal favor
and the chess players of this city and Brooklyn
intend to take the thing in charge. Mr.. Nor
phy will not probably be able to return much
before the Christmas holydays, as his meetings
with Andersen, Her Won der Lasa, Napoleon
III. and Staunton, if the latter can be crowded
into it, will consume the best portion Of Novem-
Der and December"
In the town of Zablagen, Wurtemburg, there
has been lately opened new printing estab-
lishment by Mr.. Theodore Helgerard. All the
compositors and pressmen are deaf and dumb,