, 1878-05-11

A PRESENT OF DEATH. = On
Saturday evening last, wo-
man named Mrs. William e.
Lester, who few weeks ago
abandoned her husband and Sc
cured an engagement at an un-
derground melodeon at the cor
ner of Pine and Kearney streets,
under the name Of Jennie Con-
ners, received package done
up neatly in tissue paper from 4
boy messenger. At the time she
was in private box with three
or four other persons, and think
ing it was a gift from some friend,
proceeded to open it. The tissue
paper removed, small box about
six inches long and three in width
was revealed. 1t had a sliding cov
er, and she attempted to pull it off.
She found some difficulty in doing
it, and one of the men present eX-
amined it. Discovering some pow
der in the box, he pressed open the
side of it and removed the cover
carefully. The box was divided in
to two compartments. one of which
was filed with powder and bits of
nails. In the other was piece of
sand paper, SO arranged that when
the cover was pulled open some
matches fixed in it would ignite and
set fire TO quantity Of loose tissue
paper. from which a iuse led to the
powder compartment. The person
who had sent it had evidently tried
it. and finding that the cover was
removed too easily, bad inserted two
small wedges in it, so that it could
no. be pulled Oft except by a sud
den movement. The box was given
to Detectives Jones and Coiey, and
they succeed in unraveling the mys-
terry. The woman had no idea
where the box came from, but men
toned the names OF two or three
or four persons whom she thought
might have wished her in king
dom come" The detectives follow
ed the three or four trails patiently
throughout Sunday and Monday
without success. Finally they
learned that the woman had separ-
ated from her husband, and COM
menced work on him. In his alb
sence they visited his room and
searched it thoroughly. In one OF
his bureau drawers they found some
pieces of candle corresponding to
other pieces found in the box, and
Il newspaper from which q corner
had been torn. The missing frag
ments was found in the box itself.
They then visited the Investment
Sewing Machine Company's Office,
No. % Post street, where the hus-
band was employed, and found some
lockwood corresponding to that from
which the box had been made, and
some paper and cloth of peculiar
quality corresponds 10 pieces in
the box. He was placed uader ar
rest an9 charged with assault -
mrr3er. The couplo have b. A
marne1 f0r three years and =
hese rom EaT tampshi .. +.
I, ASr Al aANcE.---a bill
passed She q ,e of Representatives
April 1GtL reducing the pay of spec
ial agents of the postof1ice depart
ment to So per diem while travelling
Delegate Jacobs opposed the bill as
far as he was able. declaring in
short speech that $5 day was little
enough in Oregon, Nevada and the
Territories. Retrenchment," how
ever, carried the day.
MEssRs. Lawrence & Merwid have
put pair of wheels on the old
scow formerly belonging to the Tai
bot coal company, on which there
is donkey engine, and are now us
ing it for water boat. The old
scow makes pretty good time with
her new propelling apparatus.
The gentleman who presides over
the local column of our morning
contemporary is marvel of deep
and profound knowledge of marire
architecture. He speaks of the
bark Aureola as having new main
boom put in when the spar in ques-
ton is bowsprit.
ANNIVERSARY. The 32d Anniver-
sary of the battle of Palo Alto,
fought on the plains of Texas, in
what is now Cameron county, was
observed in Portland on Wednesday
the Sth inst, by the display of flags.
etc.
JOHN Bowen. of Pendleton, Ogn.,
has been sent to the penitentiary
for cruelty beating son of Nj.
Bull, the then editor of the East
Oregonion. a newspaper article be-
ing the provocation to the assault.