The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-04-06

Yesterday publicity was given to one OF the most
stonishing cases of forgery that has ever ta.en
lace in this city. The excellent standing of the
arty implicated and a variety OF circumstances
ombned to excite unusual interest for the case
nd we proceed to give the facts as gathered from
most authentic source. 1t seems that Mr.. II. ID.
}. Bigeow, shoe and leather dealer at No. rs Pearl
treet, has been guilty of forging paper of various
descriptions, but principally notes. to very large
um, amounting in the aggregate, it is thought, to
nearly $4,000, and that he has borrowed great |
ums OF money from friends and business acquain- |
ances-and that with all this wealth be has left for
parts unknown. Having done large and profta-
Die Western business for long while, he had the
reputation of standing Al, and from general |
Of this fact does the surprise at the oc-
currence principally arise. In 1857 the Il m OF
Bigelow, Ball & Knight failed, but they gave the
excellent dividend of eighty cents on the dollar, |
and continued under the new title OF Bigelow q
Knight. So organized the firm remained until
month or two ago, but recently Mr.. Bigeow pur-
chased the interest of his partner, Mr. Samuel d.
Knight who resides at Cambridgeport,) and paid
him with his own notes endorsed by brother at
the West. These Mr. Knight stall holds, and there
is at present the possibility if not the probability
of his being one of the greatest sufferers.
On Friday night last, on leaving the store, Mr..
Bigelow told his bookkeeper that he should return
at II N. on the following day. The promise was
not fulfilled, nor has ne up to the present time made
his appearance. As surprise began TO be created
at the store at his non arrival and the hands of
the clock told the highly important hour of two
O'Clock, there marched in a Bank messenger with
two protested notes, of the amount of $500 each,
and purporting to be signed by single customer
of Bigelow's in Minnesota. Investigation revealed
the fact that the notes were forgeries, and there
then followed discoveries of much other paper of
the same character as in circuaton-some Of it
having been purchased by Alderman & Gore, bank
ers and brokers, No. 26 Kilby street. Everything
in the shape of notes receivable, both genuine and
bogus, which he could possibly dispose of, seemed
to have been turned into cash, and in addition to
the amounts which he is said to have borrowed
from various parties, one of his clerks, named Ed
win W. Stratton, is victim to the amount of
about 81 800 Upon inquiring at his house, No. GO
West Newton street, the wife Of the Ascending
merchant stated that her husband had left home at
7 P NJ. on Friday last with the remark that he
couldn't meet his creditors that he must fail and
that he should leave home for short time. ct is
surmised that he took the night train for New
York. and left on the following day in the steamer
for Europe.
Although the amount forged will not fall short,
as it is thought, of the of $50 000 the amount
discovered as certainly involved up to the present
time is only $4,000. Each succeeding day for a
week or two will probably bring to light fresh in
stances. The motive of MIR. Bigelow is unaccount-
able. He has at certain periods of his life been
deemed quite wealthy, and those who ought to
know say that his concern was solvent at the time
of these illegal transactions. One of those who
knew him intimately, gives the opinion that she
probably desired to get rid of old associates, and
live alone and Independently" But the secret is
locked in his own heart, and we only wonder at the
picture as shown us. He is man nearly fifty
years of age, and has two daughters of sixteen and
ten. He came originally from Grafton and has
numerous relatives in that vicinity.
THE GUAYo BIRD THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLDER
THAN MAN.-Mr. Boussingault has given to the
Academy of Science an interesting paper on this
valuable manure, from which we learn that the
deposits of guano extend from the second to the
twenty-frst degree of South latitude, along the
coast of Peru. Those which lie beyond these limits
are much poorer in ammoniacal compound than the
former; and are therefore less valuable as manure.
guano is generally found deposited small pro-
montories cliffs. 1t fills up crevices, and is to
be found wherever birds seek shelter. The rocks
of this part of the coast consist of granite gneiss
syenite and porphyritic syenite. The guano
deposits are generally covered with an agglomera
ton of sand and saline substances, called callche,
which the laborers remove before beginning their
attacks on the guano. In some places, as at Pa
bellon di Plea and Puma Ceanda, the deposits lie
under mass of sand descended from the "neirh..
boring mountains" which subject De Rivere
makes an extremely curious observation, viz =
That at the places above mentioned, the lowest
guano deposits are covered with stratum of old
alluvial soil; then comes another layer of guano,
and then stratum of modern alluvial SOIL To un-
derstand the Importance of this fact must be borne
in mind that the age of modern alluyious does not
extend beyond historic time, whereas old auvous
date from the period Immediately preceding that at
which first began to inhabit the earth so that
deposit guano, must have existed thousands of
years before man, seeing that the lower LAYER of
guano is sometime fifteen twenty yards in depth
while the old alluvial crust above it has thickness
OF upwards of three yards.
To explain the immense accumulation of guano
in those regions, N. Boussngault observes that
there has been combination of circumstances
lightly favorable to its production and preservation
among which are to be reckoned dry climate, a
ground presenting a vast number of chinks, ifs
where lo
their eggs and hatch them without being disturbed
by the strong breezes from the South, and lastly,
abundance OF food suited to them. Nowhere else
are fish so plenty as on the coast, where whole
shoals are often cast upon the shore, even in fine
weather Antonio di UllOn states that anchovies
especially are in such abundance here as to defy
description, and gives graphic account of the an
ner in which their numbers diminished by the
myriads of guanoes which are sometimes seen hvinr
in countless nUrho, interCeptng the SUMS rays like
Clouds and darting into the to catch their prev
According to M. Boussngaults calculation, one
hundred kilogrammes (the kilo is equal to two and
half pounds) of guano contain the nitrogen of
six hundred kilogrammes of sea fish, and as the
guano deposits, before they began to be worked,
con aimed three hundred and seventy eight mil
lions Of metrical quintals (the quinta metrinue is
ewt. qrs Is lbs. OF. of guano, the birds must
have consumed 2,268 millions of quintals of fish.
LEGISLATIVE BRlBERY-NEw YoRK u.s. NEW JER-
sEY.-Legislation appears to have become another
name for speculation. We give the following ex-
tracts, showing the corruption of the Representa-
tive bodies of New Jersey and New York.
The Trenton True Democrat (the Legislature is
Democratic) says:-
1t is notorious that of late years it is absolutely
impossible to obtain from the Legislature of New
Jersey any private act, however meritorious
however necessary, without the expenditure of
money. 1t is necessary to employ some lobby
agent to give wine suppers and not only that it is
in case the vote is cl0se-to advance money to
purchase votes: say this with pain; l dislike to
expose my native State; but the fact is noto-
rious, that it would be foolish weakness to affect
not to know it. And this state of things-this
weakness of members of the Legislature-this sys-
tematized bribery-this corruption that renders
our legislation rotten throughout, is the work of
the Joint Companies. For years past they have
had their creatures in Trenton; terrapins, oysters
and champagne have been cheaper-for members
than alter; the rooms of the monopoly managers
have been the headquarters of members and not
only SO, these rooms have been the pay-masters
office for members. Is it not time that this state of
things was brought to an end?
In New York, the Legislature at Albany, on
Wednesday last, voted to expel jaw Gibbons, one
of its members, for accepting bride. The vote
on the question Of expulsion was very emphatic
one hundred and one yeas to eight nays. The first
development OF this case of corruption was made
in the middle of February last, when Gibbons was
arrested under criminal process at Albany. The
Assembly Immediately appointed a committee of
investigation, and a large amount of testimony
was taken. The result proved that the charge was
well founded, and in spite of vigorous opposition
on the part of Gibbons friends and some doubts as
to the constitutonaliy of the act of expulsion, the
Assembly vindcated itself by cutting off fellowship
with the dsgraced member. The bait which was
held out to Mr.. Gibbons was a patry one. beipg
the offer of hundred dollars for his vote in favor
OF increasing the salary of the Deputy District
Attorney of Albany county. He accepted the
bride and pays the penalty by retiring with an in
delible stain fixed upon him.
SoUTH AMERICA-The La PLATA Wor oo;,
Raglng.-lntelligence from Buenos Ayres to the
9th OF February states that the civil war has again
broken out in the province ofSan Juan Itappears
that Virasoro, its Governor, having rendered him
self obnoxious to the people, was murdered by
mob on the 10th of November.
General Urquisa then sent body of troops from
Mendoza, under Colonel Saa, to arrest the murder
ers; but the latter having extemporized a govern
ment under DR.. Aberstain, refused whereupon a
battle ensued on the 10th of January, and they
were put to the sword. Saa then attacked the
city of San JUAN, with force of seventeen hum
dred men, well disciplined. The place was defend
ed by only about two hundred, who were speedily
routed. San Juan surrendered, after which the
victors butchered four hundred persons during a
space of three hours. Others expired under the
horrld treatment experienced the march into
the interior.
There are also reports of disturbances in other
provinces; and the whole confederation is said to
be in state of utter confusion.
No rain bad fallen for some time near Buenos
Ayres, and fears of general drought began to be
entertained
The national government has fully endorsed the
conduct of Colonel Saa at San Juan; although
much Indignation against it has been expressed by
the people.
forced resignation of the President and Vice
President seemed probable.
THE END OF THE REPUBLICAN, PARTY.-The Platts-
burgh, N. Y, Republican, contrasting the prom