The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-12-24
Things in Washington.

Things in Washington.
STANTON BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT OF THE DIS
TRIcr OF CoLUMBA-THE SOUTHERN RADICALS
COMPLAIN OF THE ACTION OF THE REPUBLICAN
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IN FIxING so EARLY A
DATE FOR THE MEETING OF THE NATIONAL CON-
vENTIoN.
The Washington correspondent of the Richmond
Dispatch says:
suit was called up to-day in the Supreme
Court Of the District of Columbia, in which Stan
ton is charged with falsely and arbitrarily impris
onnS Mr.. Smithson, q banker in this city, on the
charge ofsendinG information to the Confederates.
Smthson was tried by military commission,
convicted, and sentenced to imprisonment in the
Albany penltentlary and afterwards pardoned on
the ground that there Was no semblance of ground
for the charge against him. The case was to-day
postponed.
There are hundreds of cases like this, or worse
now brought against the "Haman of America"
The Southern Radi Gals send here their COM
plants against the action OF the Republican Execu-
tive Committee in fixing early date the 10Th
of May for the meeting OF the Convention They
say it is not possible that the Southern States
be admitted to representation in Congress by the
date OF tho meeting of the Convention, and the
South is therefore virtually dcbarred from partici
patton in the nomination of the candidate Tor the
Presidency by reason of q rule Of the committee
that only such States as are represented in Con-
gross shall be entitled TO send delegates to the Ma
tional Convention. They allege that this rule was
adopted to secure the nomination of General
Grant, and they, the Southern men,, being in ia
vor Of Chase, threaten special convention on the
22d OF February.
Gossip ABOUT THE FASHIONABLE WEDDING THAT
DID NOT COME OFF.-The Buffalo IN. W CONNER
cial, auding to the case of Colonel Parker, the
missing bridegroom, says
There are some people in this locality who pro-
fess to be well acquainted with Colonel Parker,
and give an explanation of his mysterious disap-
pearance quite different from any taat we have
seen stated in the papers as current at Washing
ton. They. say that the gallant aboriginal has
fuI-booded squaw and n family of "one little, two
little, three ittle-nobody knows how many little
Indians of his own already. They say that
though he desired to indulge in the rather expen-
sive luxury of a pale-face wife among the other
blessings of civilization to which he has accus-
toned himself when it came to the sticking place
he could not screw his courage up to it. He did
not dare to brave the prejudices Of his tribe
against marrying pae-face, and especially dread
ed the vengeance Of his true squaw's kindred.
We do not vouch for the truth of this explanation,
but should not like to stamp it as an untruth
either.
we have heard very interesting descriptions of
Colonel Parker's habits when spending brief sea-
sons with his tribe. At such times, it is said, he
puts of all traces of his civilized life and lives and
acts Just as the other Indians do. He divests
himself of the white mans dress, and puts on the
trappings of great Indian Chief with feathers,
war-paint, and all the other accessories. At such
times his civilized friends would find it difficult to
recognize the gallant chief of the staff for the
whole man appears to be metamorphosod. His
demeanor partakcs Of the solemn stolidty Of the
Indian, and he is, to all appearance, nonchalant,
lazy, naughty, redskin chief OF the truo aboriginal
type.
The EARTHQUAKE.-Thc accounts brought by
newspapers from Canada and Western New York
respecting the earthquake Of Wednesday morning,
agree as to the time of the occurrence and in the
description. The Montreal Gazette of Thursday
says:
The earthquake which occurred yesterday morn
ing appears to have been OF q more serious nature
than we at first supposed. The shocks were suffi
Gle ltly violent to awaken great many. A gentle
man residing in St. Catherine-street states that q
rapid succession of shocks continued during near
ly three-quarters OF a minute, or while he could
count forty. He and his family were awakened
by the rocking of the house. After waiting tor
about q minute to see if the movement continued,
he arose and striking light he found the time
precisely $40 A. NJ. The motion was between
north and south; he could not be certain from
which side the impulse came, but thinks it was
from the north. The sound was very distinct; it
was a rushing noise, and his first impression was
that high wind had sprung up with a strong
gust from the north, to which point his bedroom
looked. he was Immediately set right by the mo-
ton so peculiar to earthquakes. The noise is de-
scribed by others as rumbling noise; as for the
difference in tho time of duration heavy sleeper
would, OF course, describe it as shorter than ore
who is easily awakened.
The Syracuse Journal, of Wednesday afternoon,
has the following;
very considerable shock of an earthquake was
experienced in this city this morning at about ten
minutes past three o'clock. Tt was SO violent as
to awaken many people. Its duration is variousiy
estimated ut from one minute to two or three min
utes. The sensation produced by it is described
as like the rolling OF waves from south to north,
rocking beds gently and yet decidedly, as q light
boat would rock upon rapid but steady running
waves. There was no noise accompanying the
shock, except that caused by the rafting OF win
dows or the jostling OF crockery, which was quite
violent in several instances reported to us. About
month ago, shock OF an earthquake-much
less violent than this, howcver-was reported to
have occurred in the southern part Of Onondaga
county. Two earthquakes in so brief period are
rare luxuries for .he people in this northern lat-
tude.
The Utica Herald has the following with refer
ence to the shock i'll that city:
From the reports which reach us from all parts of
Oneida County, IL is quite certain that Central
New York was, Wednesday morning, visited by an
earthGuakel The reports are generally OF the
same character. They say distinct rocking OF
houses was perccptible that washbowls and
pitchers we're heard to strike against each other;
that stoves were moved out Of their places; that
crockery was distributed upon the shelves. Per-
sons who were awake at the time describe it as a
kind of heavy, rumblng sound, similar to the con-
tinucd breaking OF an immense body OF lco
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY AT APALACT-!coLA.-A MAN
MURDERED, HIS HOUSE FIRED AND HIS BODY
BURNED.-By correspondent at Apaachicola
(Fla.) We have particulars OF u terrible tragedy
which occurred i'll that place on the evening OF the
18th instant. About half-past nine o'clock an
alarm Of fire was sounded, which proved to be i'll
street. A large crowd assembled, and it was rl-
mored that Price was in the building, and various
conflicting stories were afOat to the origin OF
the fire some said that he had fallen asleep while
reading and knocked over the lamp others that
his kerosene lamp had exploded, but all felt salts
fed that the unfortunate man was perlshng III tho
flames As search was about to be instituted q
keg of powder in the store exploded, which blow
Off the roof of the building and scattered tho
debris in every direction, and causing the crowd
to run fc- safet,. They crowded one upon anoth-
or in a marsh back Of the burning building, but
fortunately no one was hurt. Efforts were made
TO subdue the flames, which were finally success
full and a search was then made for the missing
man. His body was found near the centre of the
building, and presented Il sickenng sight. The
| arms, legs and body were completely and entirely
burned, and tho face terribly distgured. Every
part Of the body was burned to crisp, save the
neck, around which rope was drawn tightly. Mr.
Price lived in the store and was supposed to have
had considerable money is his possession, and the
probability is that he was murdered by some vii
iains to secure this, and having committed the
atrocious deed they rcsorted TO tic plan OF tirnG
the building to cover up al traces OF their damna
III In