―153―
REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES.
philadelphia, oct. 27.
On Friday morning last, between
the hours of one and two o'clock,
Mr. Salter, Treasurer of the State,
was alarmed by a noise which he
heard in a lower apartment of the
house in which he resides, and
which is his office and the place of
deposite for the public money. Not
being under apprehensions of any
thing serious, he did not alarm the
rest of the family, but proceeded
down stairs with a lighted candle,
and on perceiving a window raised
in a back room, was proceeding to
shut it, when immediately on his
entering the room, he was sur-
rounded by four men armed with
knives, who immediately demand-
ed the keys of the public treasure
and threatened him with instant
death in case of refusal or noise.
Alone and defenceless Mr. Salter
was forced to comply, and compel-
led to accompany them while they
plundered the public money. After
taking what they conceived the
whole of the paper money in the trea-
sury, each one helped himself to a
bag of dollars, containing, it is sup-
posed about 5000. A consultation was
then held by the villains how they
should dispose of Mr. Salter, when
the fellow who seemed to act as
principal, seized a small rope which
was lying near, tied his hands be-
hind him, his knees and feet to-
gether, and putting a stick in his
mouth for a gag, secured it there
by a string at each end which he tied
round his head; they then laid him
upon the floor, at the back side of
the room, went out with their spoil,
and locked the door upon him.
All this was transacted with so
much silence that no one was
awakened in the house. Mr. Sal-
ter endeavoured to make a noise
with his feet against the floor, but
having left his shoes in the chamber
where he slept, he was unable to do
any thing to that effect. He then
endeavoured to move himself by de-
grees towards the door of the of
fice, which he supposes he affected
in about an hour. By kicking the
door violently, he soon awakened
Mrs. Salter, who, on coming down,
and finding the door of the treasury
locked, and hearing the incohe-
rent words attempted to be uttered
by her husband, was extremly agi-
tated and overcome by fear. She,
however, made out of awaken the
family of Mr. Abraham Hunt, the
next neighbour, with her cries from
the window of her chamber. Mr.
Hunt was the first man that got to
the house. With a violent exertion
he made out to burst open the office
door, and release Mr. Salter from
his distressing situation. The neigh-
bourhood was soon alarmed, and
early in the morning persons were
dispatched and hand-bills circulated
in every direction. The woods and
swamps in the vicinity were scour-
ed by the citizens, and the following
night the different roads leading
from town were watched by armed
persons; but all efforts to take the
villians have hitherto proved una-
vailing. The amount taken off by
the robbers is estimated at about
12,000 dollars: a very large sum in
Bank Notes escaped their notice.
Mr. Salter does not think he ever
saw the men before—three of them
wore lien-skin great-coats, the other
had a coattee and boots on—500
dollars is the reward offered for
their apprehension.
The situation of Mr. Salter on
this occasion, justly demands the
sympathy of all. —He has for some
time past experienced a very bad
state of health—Weak and enfee-
bled by disease, the dreadful shock
he must have experienced, on be-
ing attacked by a body of despera-
does in the dead of night, with in-
struments of death presented to his
breast, could not but greatly yield to
the force of his malady and increase
debility in his feeble state. The
agitation of his mind during the
transaction—the very distressing
situation which the robbers left him
―154―
in, and the violent exertions he was
prompted to make in order to
awaken his family, added to the
great weight upon his mind, arising
from the high responsibility of his
trust, must have formed an aggre-
gate of distress, better conceived
than described. His illness has
been so much increased that he is
now confined to his bed.
Trenton Federalist.
new-york, oct. 28.
At 9 o'clock P. M. fire was dis-
covered bursting out of a stable in
Dutch-street, and in a few minutes
that and another building were
burnt to the ground. Though the
evening was still and the fire-men
and citizens very active, yet, owing
to a scarcity of water, two other
adjoining buildings caught fire; one
of them is almost entirely destroyed,
the upper story of the other, a fine
brick building, was consumed. It
is said that the fire was communi-
cated to the hay in the stable from
a candle which a person had used
in taking out a horse—The stable
was owned by Mr. Pearsal, and
occupied by the horses of the Alba-
ny stage, none of which were in it
when the accident happened. —
The house is owned by Mr. Crom-
well of Long-Island; and the brick
house by Mr. Minard, at present
cut of town. These buildings were
occupied by small families; and,
we believe, were all insured. The
damage is estimated at 3000 dol-
lars.
oct. 31.
All restrictions on the intercourse
between New-York and Philadel-
phia, either by land or water, were
removed by order of the Board of
Health of Philadelphia, so far as
imposed by them.
[gap]
etersburg, (vir.) nov. 1.
On Thursday night, about 8
o'clock, an altercation took place
between James Fleming and Allen
Stone, in which the former dis-
charged a loaded pistol at the lat-
ter. The ball missed him, and en-
tered the breast of Nicholas Agin,
which put an almost immediate pe-
riod to his existence.
NEW-YORK. NOV. 1.
Much injury was done by the ex-
treme high tide, which overflowed
the wharves and filled the cellars in
the lower parts of the city—an in-
stance of the kind has not been
known, nor damage done to the
amount sustained yesterday since the
year 1796, or 1797.
philadelphia, nov. 2.
A fire broke out in the morning,
about 2 o'clock, in a frame building
situate at the extremity of the Nor-
thern Liberties, in Front-street.
Three frame buildings were con-
sumed before it was subdued.
Exports from the port of Philadel-
phia from the 1st of July to the
30th of September; both inclu-
sive:
|
51,563 |
barrels Flour, |
4,520 |
half do. |
505 |
barrels Middling, |
3,095 |
barrels Rye Flour, |
2,333 |
hhds. Indian Meal, |
7,491 |
barrels do. |
30 |
half do. |
new-haven.
For several days past this city
has been the resort of a very extra-
ordinary number of quails. These
natives of the grove seem desirous
of fixing their abode among us; and,
divested in a degree of their usual
timidity, they visit our gardens and
our streets, and in some instances
enter our houses. They indeed,
abound with such frequency as
would furnish no inconsiderable
amusement to the lovers of sport,
did not our municipal regulations
render the use of fire arms (within
the city) rather too expensive. The
boys, however, find much diversion
in attacking them with stones and
other missile weapons, by which
means many are secured.
It is, or may be conjectured,
there is something ominous in this
social disposition of our feathered
visitants.....Some very good sort of
people, but of temperaments a lit-
tle prone to hypechondria, are
―155―
extremely apprehensive that this
phenomenon indicates the triumph
of democracy in the state… or at
least in the city! Others suppose
they may be on their way to Penn-
sylvania, with a view to obtain cer-
tificates of citizenship, preparatory
to the next presidential election.
connecticut.
IT appears by the report of the
Treasurer made to the General
Assembly, now in session, that the
school funds, the stocks in the
funds of the United States, the
balances of taxes due, the bonds
and notes due the state, cash in the
Treasury, and shares in the banks,
amount to one million nine hundred
and four thousand nine hundred and
one dollars, and forty-one cents;
and that the great debt formerly
due from the state is extinguished.
It appears also, that the state is
now able to subscribe to the banks
thirty thousand dollars, and leave a
sufficiency in the Treasury to meet
the current expenses of the govern-
ment.
middlebury, (vir.) oct. 19.
The following melancholy acci-
dent happened at Shelburn on
Thursday last. A Mr. Soper, who
had been assisting in digging a well
in that place, which they had sunk
about 50 feet, and which, on account
of the rain, they had determined to
discontinue for that day, by request
descended into the well for the pur-
pose of bringing up the tools for
some other use. When he had
descended within about 12 feet of
the bottom, he appeared to struggle
and breathe with difficulty, and soon
fell out of the tub in which he was
descending, to the bottom of the
well. A lighted candle let down to
the depth at which Mr. Soper failed,
was extinguished; and a cat at the
same depth, seemed to be in great
agony, and was drawn up to appear-
ance lifeless, but soon recovered.
An alarm was immediately spread.
The father of the unfortunate young
man soon arrived to witness the
affecting scene. Deaf to all per-
suasion, he determined to descend
and bring up the body of his son…
To prevent his falling from the tub,
he was secured by a rope. On
descending to the depth where his
son first failed, he struggled and
breathed with difficulty, but thought,
as he afterwards said, he should be
able to hold his breath till he should
get to the bottom, and return with
the body of his son. When there,
he found himself unable to reach
his son without untying himself,
which he effected, and immediately
fell apparently lifeless. The people
at the top, as soon as possible, let
down burning tar, and also rags wet
in spirits into the well, in order to
cleanse the air; and after continu-
ing their exertions for about an hour
and an half, the father of the young
man so far recovered as to call for
the tub to be let down, which was
done immediately, and he ascended
bearing the corps of his son to the
view of his sympathising neigh-
bours.
raleigh, (N. C.) oct. 12.
About 12 o'clock in the day of the
6th inst. the dwelling house of Hugh
Mac Kay, Esq. of Robeson, was
burned, while Mr. Mac Kay was
in an adjoining field at work...... no
persons being at the house except
two small children, who had like to
have fallen victims to the flames.
It was not discovered in time to
make any efforts necessary to save
the building, so that the house, 1000
dollars, and furniture, were entirely
destroyed, except about 11 pounds
weight of silver which he gathered
out of the ruins.
On the following day about the
same hour, as he was in his field he
observed an unusual smoke, and
running to the place, discovered
that a block had been rolled from
the other fire to the back of the
kitchen… which would have shared
the same fate of the house if he
had not come at that moment....
And on Saturday morning the 8th
instant, while he was at a neigh-
bour's house, his out-houses consist-
ing of two stables and a corn-house,
―156―
containing his whole crop, with his
farming utensils, were all reduced
to ashes. All this mischief which
has almost ruined him, he has every
reason to believe was perpetrated
by a despicable incendiary, a villain
who has lurked about the neigh-
bourhood, and who had uttered
some threats against him.
charleston, oct. 14.
Between the hours of five and
six this morning, a fire was disco-
vered in the house of Mr. P. Cohen,
in Orange-street. The alarm being
promptly given, it was fortunately
extinguished with little injury to
the house. It evidently appeared
to have been the work of design;
and a negro wench has been com-
mitted upon suspicion.
OCT. 19.
The Board of Health of Phila-
delphia announced this day, the
cessation of the epidemic.
OCT. 20.
The Mayor of Baltimore, by
proclamation, removed the restric-
tions imposed by that city on its
intercourse with Philadelphia.
canaan (n. lebanon) columbia
county, oct. 22.
About the last of September, a
man by the name of Charles Crane,
came passenger in the stage to New
Lebanon, where he left the stage,
went to the house of John N. Pebody,
and staid about a week; from thence
he went to the house of Thady
Abbot, where he staid two or three
days; and on Monday the 10th inst.
came to the house of Major Ammi
Doubleday, inn-keeper, in a very
low state of health. Medical aid
was soon after called, though some-
what contrary to his desire. He
coughed much, and appeared to
breathe with the utmost difficulty
whilst asleep. When first awaking,
he sometimes appeared a little de-
ranged, but would soon become
perfectly rational. A day or two
previous to his death, he was ques-
tioned relative to his place of resi-
dence, his friends and relations....
He said he was from Newark in the
state of New Jersey, and that he
had a brother and sister living
there.
On the night of the eighteenth
inst. he went to bed at about ten
o'clock… about twelve Major Dou-
bleday got up as had been his cus-
tom, and went into the bed-room
where said Crane had slept (the
same being on the lower story) and
finding the window up, shut it, and
then lighted a candle and returned,
and to his great surprise, found that
Crane was gone. He thereupon
immediately went into the chamber
and awoke a traveller who lay there,
who went with him in search of said
Crane. They found him lying dead
out of doors, by the side of the house,
about twenty feet from the window
of his bed-room. From the posi-
tion in which he lay when found, it
appeared that he lay down delibe-
rately and expired. A coroner's
inquest was held and the jury hav-
ing viewed the body and heard the
evidence, found that the deceased,
between the hours of ten and twelve
o'clock at night, left his bed, either
in a deranged state of mind, or ex-
treme distress for want of breath,
and sought the open air; that hav-
ing wandered to the place where he
was found, his strength was exhaust-
ed, and that he then sunk down and
died a natural death. The jury on
examination, found that he had
left sundry articles of clothing, and
one hundred and three dollars,
eighty-one cents, in money.
His funeral was attended on
Thursday last, and a sermon well
adapted to the solemn occasion, was
delivered at the meeting house in
this town.
oct. 22.
A melancholy accident happened
a few days since at Kinderhook,
when Mr. Beverly Bennet, a pro-
mising young man of the age of 28,
was shot to death in the following
manner. With some other young
men he was setting off on a fowling
party, some of whom were pushing
|