Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-11-25
FRoN Mr. A X .Iobnson who ar

FROM Mr.. A. X. johnson, who ar
rived in this city from Lincoln, Ne
braska, yesterday afternoon, says the
Leavenworth Times of recent date,
we learn the particulars of one Of tie
most horrible deaths we have ever been
called upon to relate. For the past
two weeks prairie fres have been raging
through that section Of country and de-
stroying everything in their way. On
last " ednesday family named Hern-
don, who lived about nine miles from
the county-seat, were oyertaken BY one
Of these fires, aud all perished except
the father. who succeeded in reaching
creek, and thereby saved his life. The
story, as Mr.. johnson gets it from
Herndon, is as follows:
Ca last Wednesday morning Hern-
don discovered the grass to be on fire
st some distance from lis house, but
thinking nothing of it at the time, did
not pay any attention 20 it, although bis
wife called his attention to it several
times during the fore part of the day.
A heavy wind sprung Up immediate
iy after dinner, and blowing the Ere
directly towards his house, and then be
felt that his danger was imminent and
concluded to start without delay. A
two-horse wagon was soon got ready,
aud they started to escaped the devour-
ing element, they being about ten miles
in advance Of the fire. But toward
evening the wind increased to a hurri-
can and the flames we're rapidly ad-
vancing on the doomed family. The
horses had now become unmanageab,e
and we're as likely to start back il tue
path of the fire as not. Whatever was
to be done must be done quickly and
seeing he could no loager control the
team he told his family to alight from
the wagon and run for their lives. Blu:
tho FIRE being quicker than they, first
overlook Mary, the daughter, and she
soon perished. In few moments the
clothes Of Mrs. Herndon had taken fire
and death soon came TO her relief.
The father still kept on, but finding
tLat he could not save himself and his
youngest child, which he held in his
arms, he concluded to abandon the
child, which was soon wrapped in the
arms Of death. Thus freed from all
encumbrances, he soon reached the
creek. and throwing himself into the
water, saved his life.
Imagine the feelings of the broken
hearted father on going back, after the
fre had passed, and gathering up the
blaekened and charreI remains of those
whom he had loved SO dearly. We
hope We may never again be called upon
to chronicle such horrible affair again.
ONE of the trials that sprang out Of
Titgsn and Beecher scandal was ended,
as described by despatch from New
York, on the Goth. The despatch reads
as follows:
The trial of Demas Barnes, proprie-
tor Of the Brooklyn Daily .4rgus, on
the indictment for siandering Henry e.
Bowen, in the publication of an article
rejecting on the character of his de-
ceased wife, was commenced this morn
ing IN Kings county court SESSIONS
District Attorney Winslow recited the
law of libel, ard related the circum-
stances of the case. The article COM
planned Of was letter from CORES
pondent in Chicago, in which was reia-
ted conversation the writer had with
Rev. DIR. Potion as to the death bed
scene Of Mrs. Henry q. Bowen, when
she confessed to having committed
crime with Rev. Henry Ward Beecher,
and that this was what led Bowen to
take the letter from Tilton to Beecher,
asking HIM to leave Plymouth Church.
This was also said to have been the
cause, it was stated, Of his leaving the
editorial chair Of the independenf, of
which Bowen was proprietor. Henry
G. Bowen was examined, and denied
that his wife, on her death bed, had
made any such confession. She was
not able to artlculate, having paralysis
of the tongue.
The case was submitted to the jury
without argument on either side. The
Judge charged that proof of malice
was necessary to convict, and the jury,
after brief consultation, brought in
verdict of acquittal. The jurors at the
same time handed written statement
to the court, to the effect that while the
defendant was legally exempt from con-
victiOn, yet they believed the printed
matter in the .4rgus relating to the de-
ceased Mrs Bowen was atroclous and
cruel.