The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-07-24
New York, Sunday, July "a, 1850.


A shocking tragedy was enacted at the Brandreth
House, corner of Broadway and Canal street, yes
terday afternoon. merchant from Mobile, Ala,
named Robert C. Mcdonald, having cause to doubt
the fidelity of his mistress, Virginia Stewart deter
mined on killing her out of revenge. 1t was about
five o'clock P. NJ. when he quarreed with her in
the street and shot her through the head as she
was attempting to seek refuge in the Brandreth
House. The murderer then made an effort to XIII
himself with the pistol, Colts revolver, but was
arrested and restrained by several citizens before
he had time to accomplish his object. Mcdonald
and his mistress had been at Taylor's saloon few
minutes previous to the occurrence, and it was
while theys were on their way towards Canal
street that the alteration and deadly assault took
place. The injured woman was conveyed to the
New York Hospital, where the doctor in attend
ance pronounced the wound mortal one, and
gave il as his opinion that she could not live more
than twenty four hours The prisoner was taken
to the Eighth precinct station house, where he
made a full confession of his guilt, and regretted
nothing save the fact of his being prevented from
committing suicide, as he intended Mcdonald is
about thirty years Of age, and Is native Of
Georgia.
The Quaker City arrived from Havana yesterday
with news to the 10Th instant. Some financial
failures had occurred, but the default was not so
general as reported. Our correspondent says that
in reality only two brokers had gone down, with
one panter-the latter owing 100000. Sugars
were heavy, but prices had not fallen. Freghts
were dull Exchange on New York was firm, one
half to three per cent. 1t was said that Spain OBJ
tains many advantages by her late treaty with
Honduras, giving no benefit in exchange The
Captain General has proved himself an able diplo-
mat, and it was hoped that power would be given
him to ARRANGE all difficulties with the United
States without reference to Madrid" Several store
houses had been destroyed by fire at Cienfuegos,
and six thousand hogsheads of muscovadoes lost.
The Arago sailed from this port yesterday for
Southampton and Havre, with l25 passengers and
$75s, 40 in specie; the Vigo left for Liverpool with
ITO passengers and $4,000 in specie; and the
Weser sailed for Southampton and Bremen, with
y passengers and 500 900. The total of passengers
is 297, and of specie 81 ,39l, l4o.
BY the arrival Of the schooner Trident Captain
Bradbury, we have received advices from Ponce
Porto Rico, to the 10th inst On the 10th, about
four o'clock in the morning, fire broke out in the
store Of Messrs. Bysant & Co., the English Consu.
late but as the Trident sailed about two hours after
the confagration commenced the extent of damage
done is not known. Captain Bradbury, however,
supposes the loss sustained to be very heavy, as
there were several explosions
There were not far from five thousand people in
the Central Park yesterday afternoon, listening to
Dodworths band and enjoying the beautiful wea
Their. An account of the scene is given in another
column.
A meeting of the members of the New York bar
was held yesterday, to express their sense of the
loss the legal profession has sustained by the death
of Rufus Choate, of Massachusetts,. Judge Clerke
presided assisted by Judges DAILY and Slosson as
Vice Presidents, and Messrs. Dwight and Brown as
Secretaries. Euogies upon the life and character
of the departed advocate and orator were delivered
by Judge Clerke, Hiram Ketchum and ex-Judge
Peabody, and series of appropriate resolutions
was adopted, and copy of them ordered to be
sent to the family of the deceased The remains Of
Mr.. Choate were inferred at Mount Auburn yester-
day.
The annexed table shows the temperature of the
atmosphere in this city during the past week, the
range of the barometer and thermometer, the
variation of wind currents and the state of the
weather at three periods during each day, viz at
3 A. NJ and and o'clock p. NJ