On this page

• Text (3)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Untitled Article

    china-Wolotschok . The opening of the whole line -will form a new era in Russian commercial history . Nicholas , he ware 1 You may " mount on horsehack" against the Revolution , but the train will overtake you : and , if you throw yourself across its path , it will assuredly grind you to powder .

    Untitled Article

    THE INVASION OF CUBA . The Humboldt steamer arrived at Southampton on Thursday , bringing New York papers up to the 23 rd ultimo . The whole interest of the news turns upon the startling intelligence from Cuba . Events of the most important character have followed the invasion of General Lopez . It is known that he sailed from New Orleans with about 450 men , in the steamer Pampero ; and we now learn that he has effected a landing with his forces in Bahia Honda . General Enna was instantly pent against the invading forces , called on one side " pirates , " on the other patriots . The rival bands engaged at a place called Las Posas , and for two days at least , according t 6 the lettersthe Spanish General was held in check . The

    , firing of the American riflemen is said to have been deadly , and to have struck terror into the hearts of the Spanish soldiers . On the 14 th of August General Enna desisted from the attack , and waited for more troops and artillery . Twelve hundred were sent on that day ; and it is said that by a concentration of the troops the Spaniards shortly afterwards mustered about 8000 men . ' The accounts of the military movements are still confused . The Spanish writers say that Lopez was in full retreat , closely followed by the Spanish forces . The " patriotic " newswriters represent the invaders as having made good their position , and even disposed to act on the offensive . While another account asserts that a force of about 400 men sent into the

    Coscarros against the Cuban insurgents under Aguero y Aguero , had been drawn into an ambuscade and routed with great loss . The most contradictory statements are in print respecting the state of popular feeling . One party says that the people are most loyal , that volunteers follow the troops , and that sympathy for the Government of Spain is expressed on all sides . The reverse is stated by the insurrectionary partisans . We may , however , safely conclude that great dissatisfaction exists among the Creole population .

    It is not , however , the movements of the troops , the small battles , ambuscades , and sharpshooting skirmishes of the contending forces which arrests our attention and awakens the deepest interest . It is the massacre on the public street of fifty American prisoners by the musket balls of the Spanish soldiery . The most intelligible account we can pick out of the confusion of exaggeration on one side , and confused bombast on the other is , that the invaders

    determined to attack the fort at Cabanos . Fifty of the most daring of the band embarked in launches to approach by sea . But the Spanish marine was on the watch , and Commander Bustillos coming up in the Habanero , after a long chase , and , which is not unlikely , some fighting , the four boats and their crews were successfully captured . They were taken to Havanah , and immediately shot . The New York Herald publishes the following from Havannah , dated August 16 : —

    " I am too much affected to write to you more than to Bay that I have this day been witness to one of the most brutal acts of wanton inhumanity ever perpetrated in the annals of history . Not content , this Government , in revenging themselves in the death of these unfortunate and , perhaps , minguided men , and which , it may even be said , waa brought upon themselves , but these Spanish authorities deserve to be most severely chastised for their exceedingly reprehensible conduct in permitting the de-Becration , as they have done , of the senseless clay of our brave countrymen . This morning forty Americans , four Irish , one Scotch , one Italian , oue Phillipiuc Islander , two Habaneros , and two Germans or Hungarians , were shot at eleven ; after which the troops were ordered to retire , and some hundreds of the very vilest rabble and negroes , hired for the purpose , commenced stripping the dead bodies , mutilating ther limbs .

    " I never saw men—and could scarcely have supposed it possible—conduct themselves at such an awful moment with the fortitude these men displayed under such trying circumstances . They were shot nix at a time ; i . e ., twelve were brought to the place of execution , nix made to kneel down and receive the lire of the soldierH ; after which the remaining six were made to walk round their dead Comrades , and kneel opposite to theih , when they also Were shot . After being stripped , and their bodies

    mutilated in the barbarous manner I have described , they were shoved six or seven together , bound as they were , into hearses which were used last year for cholera cases . No coffins were allowed them ; and I think the manner they were put into the hcarucB wan equally ns disgusting as their other acts . The heads of Home were almost drugging on the ground , and it had more the appearance of a slaughter-cart on its way to market from the ( daughter-house than that of a henr »« conveying the dead bodieu of human beings .

    •• A finer-looking net of young men I never saw . 1 hey made not a single complaint , not a murmur against their sentence , and decency should have been nhovrn to their dead bodies in admiration for the heroum they displayed ttbeu brought out for execution . Not a musel * Wft * Men

    to move , and they proved to the miserable rabble congregated to witness the horrid spectacle , that it being tae fortune o { war that they fell into the power of thisi Government , they were not afraid to die . It would nave been a great consolation to these poor fellows , as they repeatedly asked , to see their consul , and through him to have sent their last adieus and such little mementos as they had to their beloved relations in the States . One handsome young fellow desired that his watch should be sent to his sweetheart . " The American conBul , Mr . Owens , appointed by President Fill more , did not interfere or attempt to do anything whatever of any kind to mitigate the severity of this penalty .

    The news of this tragedy was brought to New York by the Cherokee , which sailed from Havannah on the 19 th of August . Her passengers witnessed the execution . All the accounts but one agree in stating that the bodies were stripped , mutilated , and carried off for burial heaped in carts . The one exception says that the execution was solemn and the burial of the dead decent . But the Cherokee also brought news of a different character to that of the public massacre of the fifty men , whom some call lawless pirates—news of

    political importance , and affording to the American Government , it is said , a casus belli with Spain . The Habanero , cruising off Havanah , perceived a steamer with the American flag flying , and gave chase . As the Yankee did not heave to , the Habanero fired four shots wide of the ship , but the American did not stop until the Habanero had ranged alongside . She proved to be the United States' mail steamer Falcon , with the flag flying at the mainmast stating as much . Nevertheless , a Spanish officer and a boat ' s crew boarded the Falcon , and insisted on the right of search . The commander of the Falcon protested ,

    but without effect . When the news brought by the Cherokee was spread at New York , on the 22 nd of August , it excited feelings of the warmest indignation . A mass meeting was called for the same day , and in the evening many thousands assembled in the Park . The Cuban flag of independence floated beside the stars and stripes . Banners inscribed " Government , protect your Citizens , or the People will ! " " The blood of Fifty Americans cries for Vengeance ! " "The blood of the Americans cries for Revenge ! "

    were borne among the crowd . The speaking was fiery and resolute . The condemnation of the non-interfering Consul at Havanah was terrible . Several strong resolutions were agreed to . The meeting lasted until dark , and the cries of the people for vengeance were appalling . Altogether war seems inevitable , and Cuba doomed either to be annexed or independent .

    Untitled Article

    THE " BARONESS VON BECK . " The name of the Baroness von Beck is , no doubt , familiar to most of our readers , as the authoress of a book on the late Hungarian war . This woman turns out to have been no baroness , not even a " friend" of Kossuth , but a " paid spy" in the service of the National Hungarian Government , and lately a paid spy in the " recently established foreign branch of the English police force . " She was , on Saturday , apprehended at Birmingham for obtaining money under false pretences—and died in the anteroom of the court . The facts are briefly these .

    A few weeks ago a woman , about fifty years old , went down to Birmingham and introduced herself as " Baroness von Beck , intimate friend of Kossuth , " her real name being all the while Racidula , her occupation being apparently paid spy of the Briliah . Government . She succeeded in passing herself off as the baroness , got introduced into pood Bociety , made acquaintance with Mr . George l ) awson , and obtained , through the medium of that gentleman and his friends , Home subscriptions to a new book nhe declared she was about to publish under the title of The Story of My Life . In company with her there was a young Hungarian noble , said to be remarkably

    prepossessing and insinuating , who acted as her secretary and agent in getting subscribe ™ to the above-mentioned book . These two , when they first arrived in Birmingham , lived at the Clarendon Hotel , and it was during her stay there that Mr . Tyndull , the solicitor , cnlled upon her , saw her secretary , Constant Derra , who introduced her as the Baroness von Beck , and it was arranged that herself nnd Mrs . Tyndull should go to Edglmston to get in subscriptions . This expedition , however , did not take place in consequence of the illness of the baroness , and for the same reason Mr . Tyndull invited her to stay at his house , where she had remained until the 27 th ultimo .

    She had previously sought the acquaintance of Mr . Dawsoii us a man known to have strong sympathies with the Hungarians , and Derra iirst got himself introduced , and then introduced the baroness . In his evidence Mr . Duwson said : — " The representations made to him by the bnronrua respecting Konsuth , induced him to give her money . Benidea , he also knew that the signatures of other gentlemen which she had secured , were genuine . He knew the signature of Mr . Sturg < -, which « he had proaured before she carue to him . He ( Mr . Dawuon ) paid her £ 1 4 m . as his subscription for the n « w book . H « ub *»

    -auently saw t > arra , and paid him four subscriptions ( £ 4 16 s . ) for four subscribers who had committed the money to his oare . Upon conversing with the baroness he found she could not speak Frenoh , and it struck him as very strange that a court lady , such as she had de scribed herself , could not speak Frenoh . He had since made inquiries , and had now reason to believe she was not the person she had described herself to be . He at first invited her to his house and a number of friends to meet her , under the impression that she was what she had declared herself . She appeared very unwell and

    , went to her lodgings at the Clarendon . He wrote to Mr . Crompton , surgeon , who attended her , and after examining her case sent a message to him , saying that her life was of very little value , unless she could be removed into a quiet place . If they had had the least suspicion that she was an impostor , they would have sent her to the hospital , even though she were an enemy . She was not , however , suspected , but was kindl y taken into generous hands and provided for , and he saw very little of her after that until matters led to the suspicion of her veracity . *'

    During her stay with Mr . Tyndall , that gentleman skid " she frequently spoke of her dear friend Kosauth , and of Hungary as her country" : — " The tears used to come into her eyes when she spoke of Kossuth . Derra was also at his house , and he acted as her friend and secretary . The book now produced contained entries of subscriptions paid on account of the baroness ' s book . He became a subscriber to her book , and obtained a great number of subscribers upon her representations . It was also on Derra ' s representations that he subscribed . The baroness frequently alluded to Hungary as her country . Mr . Tyndall received about

    £ 15 subscriptions for the book , and promises for about seventy more . All that money would have been paid to the parties if she had not been found to have been an impostor . It was a very painful position for him to appear against Derra ; parties , he feared , blamed him exceedingly , and willingly would be have given the woman a hint to have been off the day before ; but it was deemed necessary , for the ends of justice and the cause which she had injured , to proceed against her . For Derra he was exceedingly sorry ; a more gentlemanly man he had rarely met with , aad he believed him to be exceedingly talented . "

    So much for her proceedings . In proof of the allegations of imposture , Mr , Toulmin Smith , who conducted the case for the prosecution , made the following statement , which he sustained with strong testimony : — " It would not be necessary for him to go into details to show the extent to which the woman , who was the chief impostor in the transaction under investigation , had been made instrumental in traducing the characters of some of the most eminent men of Hungary . And here he might add that she was not the author of the book . It was known who the writer was ; but , for certain reasons , he did not wish now to state his name . In several articles which had appeared in the newspapers of the town , in connection with the subject , allusion had been made to Mr . Lawrence , the American Minister , to th «« nffVw that ho hud oivpn BRRiirnnees of the accuracy oi

    the Baroness ven Beck ' s statements . Now he wisnea most distinctly to deny that Mr . Lawrence had ever given any such assurance . He could also say of the book purporting to be the travels of the baroness , that it w « b out tistue of falsehoods . Mr . Smith read some portions oi the adventures of the baroness , and said that P erb 0 U * acquainted with Hungary would know that it was utter y impossible that the events narrated could be true , a stated that her husband had fallen at the second barncade in the Jagerstrass , in Vienna , on the iuin 0 I tober , whilst cheering on the friends of popular freeoon ' to resist the assaults of their bloodthirsty tyrants-Now , according to the official reports which he i . Smith ) was possessed of , there w « s no such person nam who had ev « r fallen . '

    The official report consisted of a letter fro General Haug , who commanded in conjunction wi Bern at Vienna . General Haug stated that he M " of no officer named Beck—certainly none who jei ¦ " Though , he writes , " on the 18 th of October , 184 ^ I was in the Hungarian camp as Deputy of Vieni » , j ^ it is not known tome that on that day an orlicer , name of Baron Beck had fallen on our side , and <*'" £ not at the barricades , because on that day t / iennone . "

    Yet the book ascribed to this pretended boio ^ j positively asserts that she had personally mCt ^ tiijHU 0 Haug at Vienna , and afterwards . In the same of falsehoods , " it is stated that the said ba ^ ° lf ^ / :, reoeived a message from Kossuth , throug h « ^ tho police minister , appointing a meeting ; » <)( account is given of the meeting , " every w it ) l which is a tissue of lies , " says Mr . T 0 " * ? . *? , * , * , Tho name of the police minister was not mi ( but Hajnik . A letter was read from that geni a pointing out that the Belf-styled baroness was r , Bpy . Mr . Paul Hajnik wafl also present , a »« »

    tho following evidence : — gtnt ^ " Paul Hajnik was examined by Mr . Smith . »« UuU . that he was a Magyar noble , and a menilm _ «» ' )() lic ( . garian Diet . He filled the situation of chief o " *„„ , ¦ lor the whole United Kingdom of Hungry " ?* u , « vanla . His duty was to maintain th « civil ** jdvt hi * oountry , and all th « prisoner * of w » r . ^; n 4 r tferdisuperintendenoe . He held office under iun » ^ nand V . until the !•* *> f January , ltMi ) . & ¦• Jz . L ueni th «« apitaL o « Uirt ; Uay . Tbe f ^ *» % tc . u ^ ' toft t » « tl * Ior Debrecidw <® tb * < % *? i . nV 1848 . H « wm lift * t F « U » with Qffaiyi , * °

    Untitled Article

    840 &t > * QLtaittt . [ Saturday ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 6, 1851, page 840, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1899/page/4/