The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-04-25
FALsE BILL OF LADIEG.

Secretary Of the Board Of Underwriters 0
| this city, for the use Of q letter from Mr.
! II. S. Tuthill, Harbor Master of Aspinwall
from which we take the following:
A FALsE BILL OF LADIEG.
Mr.. Tuthil writes:
ffI have seen the bill Of lading for thii
| shipment. It reads; 'seventy-three eases
/ Of merchaudise'-the word merchandise
| being printed in the form Il reads in the
margin: Seventy cases Of Glinoin Oil (thG
| other cases being merchandise.) Not q
word Of any combustible or explosive mate
rial is mentioned, and it was stored between
| decks, among other cargo.
"Since the rupture between tbs
republics Of South America and Spain,
am Of the opinion that large amounts Of ex
plOsive material are shipped under the
| head Of "merchandise.'
Gin my opinion, the forms Of the bills Of
| lading, for this transit particularly, where
goods are so much handled, should DO al
tered, erasing the clause, contents un-
known and requiring the contents to be
specified, and under oath where doubt ex-
lists"
An Extraordinary Law Suit in BOs-
tOn-HOw the Dog Snapped at the
Shadow in the Water, and Lost his
Meat.
From Boston Latter.
One of the largest and most impor-
tant law suits in the history of Boston,
or of New England, has just been vir-
tually decided. The facts OF the affair
are SO simple that can convey an idea
of it to your readers in a paragraph.
In the dark days of 1864, when the
81 &C 4ba mar oaapaaI O lO,,u ,uav off
when volunteering was at an end, and
the draft imminent, the city of Boston
was called upon for about six thousand
men. a draft was always abhorrent to
the population here of all classes, and
dismay reigned supreme. Money was
given like water for substitutes, and
the price of men ranged from $500 to
81 600 each. At this time one Charles
Burrill consulted with the municipal
authorities as to the best means of fill
ing the quota, by procuring repentant
rebels from the prison camps in the
West, and by bringing to light credits
not heretofore allowed. The Mayor
signed paper promising to give him
SIPS for each name obtained. With
this paper in his pocket, Mr.. Burrill
hurried to Washington, paying little
attention to the enlistment of rebels in
the West, and devoted his energies to
getting men who were already enrolled
in the navy credited against the quota.
a bill introduced into Congress for the
purpose was opposed by the Western
members Mr.. Burrill took meas
ures," (Which he hints were expensive
ones to silence their opposition and
secure their votes. The IL passed.
He posted back to Boston, and copied
from the books of the receiving ship at
the Charleston Navy Yard the names
of about six thousand men who had
enlisted there, giving this city as their
residence. The list was passed to the
credit of the city on the books of the
provost officers, the quota was filed,
and Boston was saved from draft
The rejoicings of the city authorities
over this preservation were interrupted
by the presentation Of Mr.. Burrilps
bill, $l25 for each name which his ex-
ertions had obtained, amounting to
about three quarters of a million of
money. The contract, given with the
hope that he might enlist a hundred
men, seemed to stand equally good now
that six thousand names had been OBJ
tanned, at a cost cheap for single re-
cruits, but appalling in the aggregate.
The Mayor, in despair, wished that by
the sacrifice of his entire fortune, he
could wipe away the debt under which
he had placed the taxpayers. Pro-
positions of compromise were made,
and Mr.. Burrill was allowed an
amount which would have made him
wealthy to relineuish his claim. He
demanded the whole sum, however,
and would not abate jot Consulta-
tions with lawyers followed. The city
authorities took heart, and determined
to fight the case in the courts. An i'm
posing array of counsel was engaged
on both sides, General Benjamin F.
Butler heading the plaintiffs force.
The trial was begun last week. After
Mr.. Burrilrs testimony was all in, the
defendants asked the Court to take the
case from the jury on questions of law
to be decided by full bench. After
some hours of argument, this was done,
and although of course the decision
was not final, Mr.. Burrill's claim, foI
which five days ago he would not take
five hundred thousand dollars, is now
worth nothing at all. The point made
by the defendants counsel, of course,
was that the Mayor had no authority
to make such contract, and there is
every probability that it will be so de-
cided Had the amount claimed been
tenth of what it was, it would I'M
doubtedly have been paid without re
sort to law; but Mr.. Burrill's Yorscity
was not content with a small sam, and
no tax payer is sorry that he has now
lost tn whole.