The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-01-09

A correspondent OF the Charleston
News writes as follows under date of
New York, Japuary1:
The new year comes upon us with
cheerful. smiling conntsnance; and
men, women and children, catching
the pleasing infection, have, like
wise. smiling gcountenances and smiles
are all around. Nature smiles, the
ladies smile, and gentlemen, congre-
gated around Delmonico' s and similar
resorts, smile excessively, in a
spiritual manner. There is a custom
here, "more honored IN the obser-
vance than the BREACH" to make
''calls" on New Years day. Hand
some ladies remain at home to receive
these calls-tables are set out, groan-
ing under the weight of refreshments,
to say nothing of best brands of old
Cognac, first-rate Sherry and Mad EZRA,
and to say something of the sundry
bottles of sparkling Heidsick. Gentle
men come in and "call," receive
smiles from the ladies, more smiles
from the bottles, and, remaining O
few moments, go smilingly on their
way to make more calls.
On Saturday night we had q
respectable fall of snow, and early
on Sunday the merry sleigh bells
sounded, pleasantly tinkling on the
ear. The old year went out to the
music of the bells, the chimes of old
Trinity ringing it out, and ringing in
old sixty-six
The new mayor honors the New
| Voo,. 1,x, n ,.aoo,of;o,, A1o
Room, of all who wish merely to pay
their respects, and wish him 'tmany
more"
There was s. New Years dinner
given at the Tombs, but it partook
more of the gay than the grave; and
the prisoners, remembering the vast
ed turkeys in front of them, forgot
their cares behind them. The new
year made its debut with great success,
and everybody accepts the situation,
and welcomes old 1866
The Strong divorce case has come
to a weak and unsatisfactory termina-
ton. After trial Of five weeks
duration, the jury retired and delibe-
rated forty-fve hours, at the expira-
ton of which time, owing to the
stubbornness of ten of the jurors,
who refused to concur in the opinion
of the other two, they were compel
led to agree to disagree. And as his
Honor the Judge had charged them
before they went up stairs, he dis
charged them when they came down,
and Mr.. and Mrs. Strong are still
man and wife. And now this dis
graceful trial has ended in not ending,
AID it is to be hoped it may not be-
gin, to have new beginning.
A terrible casualty occurred here
yesterday, which resulted in the
s11ffocation of family occupying a
portion Of a tenement house in
Grand street, produced by the in
haling of coal gas. Two Of the
victims have died, and other mem
bers of the family are in condition
which renders recovery somewhat
doubtful. I have spoken of it as
casualty. but certain facts, in connec-
ton with the affair, make it to appear
to have been the result of design.
1t seems that Mr.. John Hunter, the
landlord OF the premises No. 597
Grand street,) rented certain rooms
to a family in opposition to the
wishes of his brother, Ed. Hunter,
who had spite against them, and
had, in vain, endeavored to compel
them to vacate the premises. In ono
of the small apartments there was a
stove. from which the gas and smoke
would arise through a chimney; but
it was observed, few days before
the dreadful affair happened, that the
smoke refused to ascend and escape
us it had previously done, and it was
subsequently discovered, on exami-
nation, that one of the fues of the
chimney had been choked up. This
stuffing up of the fue is supposed to
have been the act of Ed. Hunter,
who has been accused formally, and
the matter has been submitted to
Coroner Grover for investigation
The victims we're suffocated by the
inhalation of the coal gas during
their sleep, from which two of them
never awoke to life.
It is curious coincidence that q
similar case of suffocation occurred in
Worcester, Mass. y on the day pre-
vious, resulting in the death of one
Artemas Ward and wife This, how
ever, is not the humorous writer, who
has adopted this name as non, de ]
plunae.
Your readers, no doubt, remember
the great Ketchum forgery and delal-
cation case that created such an in
tense excitement here several months
ago. The operations of this prince
Of forgers were conducted on such
gigantic scale, and the position he