The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-11-09
Established in 1846.
CHICAGO 4 s. w. BRIDGE BURNERS.

AOVSO OhA0OSe~Se -
CHICAGO 4 s. W. BRIDaE BuRNEhs.
The Swank boys, a notice of whose
arrest we gave some days ago for fir
ing bridge on the g. 4 s. w. R. R.,
have been bound over in the sum of
$4,000 each. It appears from the ev-
idenoe on the preliminary sxamina-
tion that they intended to burn the
bridge, throw the passenger train off
the track and indiscriminately mur-
der and rob the.unsuspecting passen-
gers in the confusion that would en-
sue. There are seven sons Of the
swanh tumiiy residing between Cen
terville and Unionsville, and they are
well-to-do farmers owning some 1900
acres of land, but are q desperate set
Of men, and are feared by oil their
neighbors.
Since the arrest of the Swanks,
four more of the oonspirators have
been arrested, namely: Rev. Spang-
ler, ! Baptist preacher, Rev. Joe
Kincade, also ! preacher and petit
logger, and who was captain Of the
gang, and two men named Shattuck
and Fitzpatrick These men were
having an examination when we left
Centerville at noon yesterday. The
evidence against them is said to be
strong, and the probability is that
they will have An opportunity to
mediate ON their guilt, for q long
time, at IT. Madison.
The object Of the last named cul-
prits was to burn and damage the r.
B. bridges until tho Company would
pay them for damages they claimed.
While We were at Centerville, o
boy named Morrison was also cap
tured, who had three times set fire
to the prairie on Shoal creek, South
Of Centerville, with intent to injure
his neighbors, and on Sunday last
his deviltry caused great deal Of
damage to farmers in that neighbor-
hood. Verify, the devil seems to
have been let losse in Appanoose
county, and his imps over there
ought to be severely punished.
The Burlington Gazette propounds
this knotty question "Can all the
.elements opposed to Grant be unit
!" cd upon one candidate ?" The
editor then proceeds to answer the
question himself, as follows: I'VE
believe it can be, and shall labor
:" for that purpose, because we be-
!" lieve it is the only way in which a
"change in the affairs of the gov
ernment can be accomplished"
The editor of the Gazette speaks
from the book, no doubt, and 10 we'll
aware that the Democratic party is
hopelessly dead, and buried beyond
the hope of resurrection. As John
g. Calhoun said during his lifetime,
it has only been held together until
now "by the cohesive power Of pub
/" lie plunder,' and having lost their
hold upon the public purse, there is
nothing else for them to do but dis
solve and return to the original ele-
ments of which it is composed, or
unite tor common purpose in a
grand onslaught for Office and spoiIs,
with Frank Blair, A. H. Stephens,
Jeff Davis, Boss Tweed and his Tam
many Ring, Perry Fuller and the
Indian Ring under Andy johnson,
the Rebels and Ku-Klux of the South,
Paymaster Hodge, Geo. B .MeC Clellan,
all the dishonest ofiice-holders who
have been kicked out of Office BY
Grant, all the dishonest men whom
Grant has refused to give Office, and
last and least of all Charles A. Dana
Of the Sun. 8ka{8l
Now, wouldn't this make up q
pretty party, and one, too, who could
go before the country with strong
claims to right to administer the
affairs of this government
As old age creeps upon the once
triumphant Democracy, it only
serves the more TO show its utter
dishonesty; and another Presiden-
tial campaign will end in the COM
plete burial, beyond hope of redemp-
tion, of even this proposed mongrol
party.
The Davenport Democrut says:
John P. Irish politically prosper
ons, politely publishes poor poetry
in place of pungent pokes at played
out politicians"
| John is naturally poetical cuss
almost as much so as Porter Clay
Welch, and the Democrat has nj
business to be meddling with his al
fairs. Johns "poor poetry" is jus
as good as the most of his "poor
prose, and not any moro prosy either
The LEGIsLATURE.-The RegsSte
, publishes full list of Senators an
] Representatives, with the foilowin
!. RECAPlTULATI0N.
Total number Of Senators. ). ....... 5
Republicans... .......,..................
Democrats ......... ..........
: Total number members OF House II
kepuDllcanS.........