The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1870-07-02

A city OF 80 ,UUU inhabitants, lying on
the verge of great forest, buys pine
boards from far away Maine This folly
will in time come to an end. Contrary to
all we may expect, the climate of the
Amazon valley is temperate rather than
tropical. It is more equal than in any
other climate of the world. Year in and
year out it ranges from seventy four to
eighty degrees-the fair mean being
eighty degrees.
PERILs OF INTERVENING" IN ILL
NoIs.--The tragedy at Springfield, Hi
nois, Saturday, May 18th, briefly reported
by telegraph, was very singular affair,
and the only ground on which the doings
of the principal actor and final victim can
be explained is, insanity. A few days
prior to the elimination of the tragedy, a
party of men were engaged in surveying
a route through Springfield for proposed
railroad. When they reached the
premises of Mrs. Bancroft, in the
southwestern part of the city, her son,
named Coburn Bancroft, aged about
twenty three years, becoming desperate at
the thought that his mothers property
was to be taken for railroad purposes,
fred a revolver at the surveyors two or
three times, but without effect. A warrant
was sworn out, and tive or three police
men started for the purpose of arresting
young Bancroft, which fact coming to the
latter's knowledge, he procured revolver
and hatchet, and, stationing himself at
his mothers dwelling, defed the officers
taken alive. After parleying with the
j L. III g.. 4 e..
get him at disadvantage the police were
their object. Thus matters stood, when,
on the fatal Saturday, Louis Souther,
local editor Of the State Register, desirous
of getting at young Bancrofts version of
the affair, proceeded to the Bancroft do
micile for the purpose of
"INTERvIEwING" THE DESPERATE.
His enterprise was lily rewarded. Be
fore reaching the house, the mother of
the young man came out and met Mr..
Souther, who at once made known his
errand. Mrs. B. advised him that her
son was dangerous, and he had better
depart He turned to do so, but had
not proceeded far when, hearing noise,
he faced about, and as he did so, discov-
ering young Bancroft in swift pursuit.
On asking the latter what he wanted, he
replied that he wished to kill him.
Souther started off on a run, when Ban
croft shot him in the arm, inficting
severe wound. This news spread like
wildfire, and created considerable excite
ment in the city. No immediate effort
was made to capture
THE DESPERATE MAN,
However, and at three O'Clock the same
afternoon he left his impromptu fortress,
and meeting soon after one of the railroad
party, named Mcclure, commenced throw
ing at him the lead of bricklavers
plumb to which was attached a long cord,
and as he threw it he insured its return
by holding on the chord. Mcclure drew
a revolver and fired five shots in quick
succession at Bancroft, but without effect
Bancroft, after the first two shots by Me-
Clure, drew his revolver and fred four
shots, one of which wounded Mcclure in
the thigh, another caused a bad wound in
the wrist, aud another struck a memo
randum book in the side pocket of Me-
Clure's coat. The ball glanced from the
book and passed across the breast, leaving
red mark showing its course, but doing
ed quite deliberately to his mothers
residence, went to his room and loaded
his pistol.
THE LAST AGGRESSION WAS TOO MUCH,
And-speedily large crowd gathered in
the vicinity Of the Bancroft House, among
them the officer holding the warrant for
Bancroft's arrest. While this crowd was
gathered about the house, Bancroft was
sitting near the window, a portion of the
time playing upon violin. He would
occasionally converse from the window
with some acqualntances who would ap-
proach near enough to do 30. But to all
entreaties to surrender he returned a
positive refusal, reiterating his determi-
nation never to be taken alive. Finally.
after all expedients had been exhausted
without avail, d. G. Robbins, Chief of
the Night Police Of Springfield, discharg
ed a rifle at Bancroft with fatal effect.
the ball entering the temple and produe-
jury was immediately summoned, which
returned verdict that, from all facts and
circums ances in evidence before them,
they were of opinion that the shooting of
Bancroft was necessary and justifable.
The editor Of Chicago children's
paper received letter from a lady SUBJ
scriber, who writes: "Our little Anna
died last week, after reading the last
number of your valuable paper" Par
ties who have more children than they
want should subscribe for that periodical
A man in Minnesota, before going
to town, recently, set a shotgun too shoot
any ono who might attempt to enter his
house. He drank some whisky, forgot