The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-10
Interesting Letter.
Hale writes to the Fsysttsvills

!
Ecuminer.-
One of the most remarkable Incl
dents of the late wal has just come 10
light, nearly eighteen years after its
occurrence, viz: the hanging as spies Of
two Confederate officers, young aud
handsome, and one of them the great
grandson of Mrs. Gen. Washingsoa,
and first cousin of Gen. Il. r. Lee.
The great responsibility and inflaeacs
of their friends and relatives, reeid-
ing in and about Washington, epa6lss
them to keep the event secret. But the
United Serrice Hagdztne has now pub
lished all facts, including oflclal dis
patches. Col. VIM. Orion Williams,
the leader in the scheme to get in:s the
enemy's camps at Franklin, Murfrees
boro, Nashville. &C., had induced hs
cousin Walter @. Peter, to 'in him.
With the aid of forged papers from the
War office at Washington, they had
| afely passed the ordeal at ~Frankiia,
| but as they rode out towards Nashville,
a e. s. officer who had known Will
iams met them, and thinking that he
| could not be mistaken, had them fol
| lowed and invited to return. EXPO
| sure at once followed, then confession,
then a drum-head court martial, trial,
sentence, and execution. They arrived
At Franklin late in the afternoon of Sth
June 1858, and were hanged at 1880
the next morning. They begged to be
shot. but that request was denied by
Gen. Rosecrans, through his chief OF
staff, Gen. Garfield, now President
elect. Williams had been ~passionate!y
l--1.oJ 70 n larnhtnr of G,an Lee
then residing Arlington.
The similarity to the case OF Maj An
Dire, who was hanged by order Of Gen.
Washington during the Revolution, 10
in many respects striking. And how
ever much to be deplored, the justice
of the sentence in both cases Is beyond
question.
A great many secrets Of that time
doubtless remain covered up. 1t wa,
not known for ten years after the draft
riot in this city in 1868. that the
great number o. upwards of $500 per.
sons were hanged OF killed IN that
bloody time.
A book publishing house in this city
announces tina they will publish next
month a novel which. as they say
defends unwecded maternity in It's
heroine. and unanswerably denies the
doctrine of Hell,' And the author o
this vile book is dubbed Reverend.
Bob Ingersoll has been indicted for his
profanity, and now The author and
publisher Of ibis book should be ar
rayed by his side.
A Board OF V~iticultural Commission
ners in California, appointed by tn
- T 100 ,n,ln tic tr-t arntll! "a
u port, in which the wine crop OF TIA
i State for 1880 is stated at ten million
{ two hundred thousand gallons, worth
t -, 795, 900; the grape brandy at fou
hundred thousand gallons, worth $5ll,
: 500: ~raisius worth 800, 900, and tabl
( grapes S137. 800. In all, $500, OOO
+ Over 10000 acres Of new vineyard
: were planted in 1890, and 20, 600 acres
will he planted this year. Grape land
Z sell from so to 800 an acre. Their
: is a fashion in California of blendln!
the Juice of different kinds of grape
d to improve the quality. Was that eve
. tried in North Carolina f! 1t IS a hop
that | have entertained all Day life, tina
the sand, soil OF our State, wher
:, some o the best kinds Of native grape
n flourish should become wine producing
II and think this would have been I'll
case long ago but for the want OF ski
i to make good wine out of good grape
Ii Look at the scuppernong, for II
stance. \ few make deliclol
, wine from it; the many MAI
lie poor stuff; SO that one does not kDo
what he is buying when he gets soup
lie pernong wine. and the character of a
1 IS spoilt. | trust that the new proprl
az etor of the Tokey vineyard, in yoJ
vicinity, with his ample means, wi
K remedy ali this, and show to the worI
J. what a delicious beverage can be mac
X as it has been made, from the deliclol
te grape as well as from the Cataw ba, I'll
ry Mish and other natives. If the VIII
e production had been fully develop.
Is there would not he so much reason
ty there now unfortunately is, tor the pr
s hibition law now demanded of Il
Id Legislature.'
IS
During protractei meeting at
= Monticello, Ca. colored church,
- sbontinv sister seized a shouting brOtI