Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-05-29
THE NEWS IN BRIEF.


The Iuman steamer City OF Berlin, from
New York for Liverpool, had an experience
last week Tuesday morning, while approach
ing the Newfoundland ooast, which explains
how II Is that now and again steamer sails
from port and is never heard from again. At
$3.50 In the morning she WAS running at half
speed through thick fog. Sharp watch was
being kept for ice foes and bergs, and every
precaution had been taken TO avoid accident
Suddenly the air became extremely cold, with
a strange unearthly chill, and directly after
ward huge iceberg, towering high above
the mainmast Of the steamship, hove in sight
II was too late TO change the course Of the
ship. The forward watch leaped from his
perch upon the bowaprit and rushed back,
shouting to the man at the wheel Port
your helm An iceberg" The wheel whir-
red around, but uselessly. There was deaf
ening crash. The sailors on the deck were
thrown from their feet, and some of the pas
sengers from their beTths. One of the pin
nacles of the iceberg was hurled from its
base by the force of the shock and crashed
on the bow Of the ship, fitting her stern up
and overturning some of the furniture in the
saloon Cries of terror filled the air, and
for time, until the captain came on deck
and finally restored order, the widest con-
sternation prevailed. The engines were re-
versed and q thorough examination made.
The heavy iron plating of the bow was badly
shattered, but the collision had not broken
the interior lining Of the water tight com
pRrtments, and the vessel was still compare
lively safe. In due time the vessel resumed
her voyage and reached New York Saturday.
In all there were nearly 1900 souls ON board.
"A middle aged German, but two years in
this country, attempted to commit suicide by
jumping of the Brooklyn bridge Monday
afi A pOliaaman Nauubl him M ho
was in the act of making the fatal plunge
He was out of work, had wife and eight chill
dren at home, and could not bear to 60 home
and hear them ask il he had got any money
or had found work. The mans desperate act
won him instant nOtoriety and abundant help.
Early next morning bundles Of meat, grocer
les and clothing began to arrive, the process
sion kept up all day, aud before night the
mother and children were intrenched behind
a regular barricade of gifts of all sorts.
funny old German hastened into the munich
pal court to tell the "chudge" that he wanted
to "gif the man chob )" the stock and 9th
or exchanges took up subscriptions, aud by
the time Fleisher, the would-be suicide, got
home to his family he was the possessor of at
least $500 in cash and provisions enough to
last a month.
Alton, ILL.,, was struck Sunday night by
a tornado which swept across the river with
terrific fury, damaging several buildings and
doing other mischief.
"A Yosemite stage, with several Raymond
excursionists on board, was robbed near
Clarks station, Cal, last Friday. The mon
ey and valuables of the passengers and the
express treasure box were taken.
Jim" Conner, a boy aged Is, was up
before the court at Owinsville, Ky, last week,
charged with carrying deadly weapons. His
mother was present to defend him. The
Judge made a proposition that il she would
openly fog him with a cowhide he would dis
miss the case, and the mother consented. A
cowhde was accordingly sent for and the
woman Immediately stripped the boy naked
TO the waist marched him to the centre of
the room aud gave him an unmerciful thrash
ing in the presence Of a large and apprecia-
tive audience.
"A jury at Erie, Pa, has awarded plain.
it'd S4S, 700 damages for being elected from
Lake Shore passenger train. The train was
q limited express and the conductor refused
TO accept a regular ticket OF money from the
passenger, who was put of aud fell on pile
Of stone, paralysis resulting. The man sued
for 300, 900.
"A Paxton, Mass, farmer reports TO the
police the loss of $1,000, drawn from the
bank to convince two bunco men that lac pos.
|
won $4,000 from them.
"A derrick used in constructing the new
Unitarian building at the corner OF Bow dom
and Beacon streets, Boston, fell Wednesday
afternoon, killing Miss Grace Virginia Lord
a we'll known lterateur of that city.
The fifty. sixth anniversary OF the Brook
Ign, N. Y, Sunday School Union was cele
brated in that city Wednesday, aud GO, O0t
children marched through the streets in pro
oession at the close Of the exercises.
Orange, Mass, had a veritable William
Tell shooting affair last Sunday night, wheI
William Prentiss shot his father dead. The
young man, who coolly gave himself up tC
the sheriff, said he and his father we're in
room Alone drunk, when his father seized
gun and threatened to kill him then in
stupid drunken freak put a tumbler on his
head and told the son to shoot it of Tn,
young man pulled the trigger, seeing no caI
on the tube, he says, when the whole charge
tore through the fathers brain.
-Three-story frame tenement house OF
Colgate street, Jersey City, tumbled dowr
Wednesday morning, killing four of the oc
oupants and seriously hurting l others. Tht
house was occupied by six families, compris
ing % persons. Examination of the ruin
showed that better type of man. trap could
not be found in any locality. The fremeI
we're astounded az they hauled away the half
decayed slender supports of the floors from
the debris, and the only wonder was how the
building could have 30 long sustained tn,
weight of 80 many persons with their fam
lilies.
Charles O. Thomas young man from
Burlington, this state, now employed at Kan
sas City, Mo-, tells story corroborating re
ports of i'll treatment of Americans in Gau
temAla. Thomas says he sailed September
in the Ella knight from New Orleans with n
others. On his arrival he was made one o.
the guards and so Jared better than his com
panions. number of the men died from
exposure and hardships, while others wer,
killed in trying to escape. The men wer
kept in debt to the company and thus wer,
he'd in bondage under the law of Guatemala
Thomas left there in February.
The Southern Pacific train which wa
carrying the Theodore Thomas concert com
psny to San Francisco, was boarded at Coo
lidge, New Mexico, by herd of cowboy
who, with drawn revolvers, made the orches
ira play and Nine. Materna sing The mu
sioians began playing Home, sweet home,
but the cowboys yelled for 1.-The Arkansal
Traveller" and Mr.. Thomas gave orders /,
give them what they wanted.
Stephen Brown of Kensington, N H.
was recently terribly injured by large boar
which jumped upon him, bit him badly an,
threw him TO the ground, whore he wa
found insensible. Subsequently the beas
was shot by the injured mans son.
Miss Nellie Garfield, niece of Mrs
Abraham Lincoln and pupil in Mrs d
Wits seminary at Bellville N, j., shot her
self probably fatally with a revolver Monda,
morning. She WAS suffering from painful
sores in her ears.
The Grant mansion in Philadelphia
was sold at auction Tuesday to Fran
X Hess for 500, $50. This is the hous
which was presented to Gen. Grant by
committee of Philadelphia citizens immedi
ately after tho close of the war. The com
mittee paid $33, 600 for the premises in 1856
and furnished it,
Mr.. James Russell Lowell delivered a
Grafton at Cambridge, England, Tuesday, Of
the occasion of the unwilling Of the bust O
the poet Gray. He said il was probably tn
last occasion on which he would address al
English audience and expressed his heartfelt
gratitude for the kindness which had beel
shown him both in official and private life
The audience was deeply touched by MI
Lowelrs evident emotion, and loudly cheere
him as he concluded his address.
Mr.. Roaoh's government despatch boat
Dolphin made her fourth trial trip success
fully yesterday. The vessel travelled 90 mile