Iowa Old Press

Weekly Times
Dubuque, Dubuque, Iowa
December 5, 1861

CITY NEWS

WEDNESDAY MORNING, NOV. 27

     Rev. S.A. BENTON of Anamosa, has been appointed Chaplain of the 14th regiment. D.A. Peet has been appointed sutler.

    T.J. KNOWLTON was appointed yesterday Sutler of the 18th regiment. McK is a brother of the proprietor of the Union.

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     FOURTEENTH REGIMENT - Three companies of this regiment left yesterday on the steamer Jennie Whipple for St. Louis. The severity of the weather precluded the use of barges, so that more men could not be taken at a single trip, consequently four companies had to remain here, and are to go to-day by railroad. Companies A,B, and C, were sent to Fort Randall some time since: companies D,F, and I, went down on the boat, and companies G,H, and K, go by rail. The regiment marched into the city about two o'clock in the afternoon and after a little delay on the levee they went aboard the Jennie and soon got under way.--[Davenport Gazette, 28th inst.

     Co. B. of  THE IOWA SEVENTH - Colonel LAUMAN furnishes the Hawkeye with a correct list of the killed, wounded, and missing, of the Iowa Seventh Regiment. We are pained to see the name of Sargeant A.J. FELT among the killed.
    Killed - 2d Lieut. G W S Dodge, Joseph Gallahan, J C Wilson, 4th Serg. A J Felt, J S Wilkinson.
    Wounded - Capt G Gardner, 3d Serg. H J Smith, John Adair, Levi Corken, A J Gilmore, W H Mason, H P Smith, John Morse, Henry Benson, 2d Corp. George Morse.
    Missing - 4th Corp. O S Holmes, 5th Corp. H S Winser, 8th Corp. D McTaggart, John Brown, T G Cotton, W M Doan, H A Gregory, Egbert Hanks, S Hangboy, Enrick Hanks, A Hilebreth, J R Howard, K Johnson, A H Morton, Robert Mills, M Nye, J A Ruthford, E J Taylor, Wm M Tannabill, Chas Wilbur.

ARREST FOR TREASON
Correspondence of the Dubuque Times.
    DES MOINES, Nov. 24, 1861

    Last week U.S. Marshal Hoxes brought to this city WILLIAM M. HILL of Magnolia, Harrison County, charged with the crime of Treason, and his case is before the Grand Jury of the United States District Court now in session here. The facts which were the basis for the warrant of arrest are in substance these: HILL is a native of Monroe County, Virginia. He came to this State about six years ago, settled in Harrison County, and I think was elected for two terms to the office of Treasurer and Recorder. When the war against the Union broke out, he manifested unmistakable evidence of sympathy with the Rebels, and during the last summer returned to his native county in the old Dominion. How he passed the military lines of both the Federalists and the Confederates is unknown, but he did it, and remained among his old secession friends some time. During his absence a letter he had written before his departure from this State, directed to a certain newspaper in Virginia, arrived at Magnolia from the Dead Letter Office at Washington. It expressed earnest sympathy with the cause of the Secessionists, and gave information of the then defenceless condition of the Western and South-Western Counties of Iowa. - Through the treachery of some employee in the Dead Letter Office, this letter was remailed to HILL at Magnolia; but fortunately, he had not yet returned and it was opened and read by his Deputy, and its contents made known to others. Another letter, a private one, written by him from this State, was sent to the Dead Letter Office at Washington; but this fell into better hands at the Capital, and was enclosed to the U.S. authorities in this State. Upon the evidence of these letters and other testimony, Judge LOVE issued a warrent for HILL's arrest, and about ten days since Marshal HOXIE started for Magnolia to execute the process. He found his man in a hotel in Magnolia, arrested him, brought him safely to this City, accompanied by several witnesses, and the Grand Jury, after a careful examination of the facts, have found sufficient grounds for an indictment against him for Treason. Of course I know nothing of the oral testimony against the accused, but the belief is that there was quite a large majority of the Juryman in favor of finding the bill.
     HILL is a man about thirty-five years of age, has a family in Harrison county, and among bar-room politicians and the flood-wood element of the old Pro-Slavery part of this State, has heretofore passed as rather a popular fellow. He has however the characteristic swagger of the slave-whippers, such as some of your Dubuque Chivalry were accustomed to exhibit before they were brought to grief by the irresistable Union sentiment of your locality, and as he strides around underneath the eye of the Marshal it isn't difficult to see an involuntary d--m shooting out from the corner of his eyes. I guess he ought to stretch Manilla, by way of example but it isn't for me to say positively. His peers will decide in judicial norm in due time.
    Meanwhile, let all Secession F.F.V.'s (Fleet-Footed Virginians, as a friend of mine renders them) mind their eyes! Iowa is a hospitable State to its friends, but just at this present it is a poor asylum for its foes!

    BUCHANAN COUNTY - Iowa Fifth - Chas. Marsh of Pine Creek, a member of company E, Iowa Fifth regiment, died at Jefferson City a short time ago as we learn from the Independence Civilian.
    Rev. J. Fulton, pastor of the Baptist church of Independence, is about to remove to Cedar Rapids. He takes Mr. Eberhart's place.

    CLAYTON COUNTY - Mr. Falkner has resigned the office of Postmaster of Clayton and J.G. Jerome, the old Postmaster, has been reappointed. Messrs. Keen and Smith, of the same place, as we learn from the Sentinel, are getting ready a large number of their celebrated Buckeye grain drills, for next year's use. Their drills give good satisfaction.

    WINNESHIEK COUNTY - The Decorah Republic give an account of the dedicatory services of the Congregational church in that place on the 17th inst. The sermon was preached by Rev. JESSE GURNSEY, of this city. The building is of brick and will comfortably seat three hundred persons. Its cost is about $4,000.

Brig. Gen. Jesse L. Reno.
    In a recent list of appointments by the President, we notice with pleasure, that of Capt. Jesse L Reno, of the regular army, to be Brigadier General of volunteers. Gen Reno is a son of L.T. Reno, Esq. of this city, and a brother of Lieutenant B.F .Reno of the 2d cavalry. Gen. Reno graduated at West Point in 1846. At the commencement of the Mexican war, he asked to be assigned to active duty on the field. This being granted he was in all the battles from Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico. He distinguished himself at the battle of Cerro Gordo, and was promoted to 1st Lieutenant. He bore a conspicuous and honorable part in the battle of Chapultepec - in which engagement he was wounded - and was brevetted Captain "for gallant and meritorious conduct." On his return from Mexico he had charge of the Arsenal at Washington City, until sent to West Point as Professor of Mathematics. - For a time he was stationed at Frankfort Arsenal and was subsequently in command of a battery in Buchanan's Utah war. On his return from Utah, he was assigned to the command of the Mount Vernon Arsenal in Alabama where he remained until the breaking out of the present rebellion, when the little command - 17 men - left him by the traitor Floyd, was captured by 400 rebels. He returned to Washington and was assigned duty at Fort Leavenworth. Where he will be assigned with his Brigade we are not informed. Gen. Reno was a classmate with Gen. McClellan, and upon his recommendation, most probably, his appointment was made.-Iowa City Reporter.

    A fire broke out last Tuesday night in the city of Burlington, in the store No. 19 Jefferson street, owned by Mr. Uterle, and occupied by O.H. Harris, dry goods, and L. Keller, saloon. Loss on buildin $600 to $1000, insured. Harris' loss on stock is $3,000 insured, $2,000. Keller's loss on furniture $500, insured.

    DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT IOWA CITY - A fire broke out in A.B. Walker's daguerrean gallery at Iowa City on Saturday, which destroyed most of the interior of the building and some of its contents, although most of the goods in this and the adjoining building south were removed. The stores of G.W. Marquart & Co, Jewelers, Marquart & Co.'s News Room, A. Mitchell and O.J. McCormick were cleared, although much damaged by fire and water. The office of A.B. Walker, McKay & Bradley, attorneys, J. Coulson, dentist, Judge Miller, N.C. Brainard, Governor's Secretary, Tidd Star's daguerreotype gallery, were destroyed by fire and removal. The Republican office removed all their type, but the office wasn't burnt only through the roof.

    ROBERT FINARTY, of Company C, of the Iowa 7th, who was mentioned in yesterday's paper, died at the Hospital on Thursday night. His remains will be sent home to his parents in Marion county.-Keokuk Gate City.

Weekly Times
Dubuque, Dubuque, Iowa
December 12, 1861

     TELEGRAPH THROUGH IOWA - The Des Moines Register of the 27th, announces that the telegraph poles have all been set up between that place and Council Bluffs, and also as far eastward as Sternberg's, fourteen miles from Des Moines. From Newton the line will pass to Marshalltown, and thence to Cedar Rapids. The line will have been completed from the Missouri to the Mississippi river against the 1st of January, giving a streak of intelligent lightning from the Atlantic board through Salt Lake City to California. No office will be opened in Des Moines, on account of its "impecuniosity," as the Register delicately styles the want of enterprise shown by a recent vote of that town. It seems that Iowa City and Marengo are left out of the ring.

     - THE ferryboat has stopped for the season, and passengers are carried over in yawls. It is to be hoped the river will be bridged with ice in the course of a day or two.

VISIT TO HOPKINTON

    Among the many villages in Northern Iowa, that we have had occasion to visit from time to time, none more favorably impresses us, so far as the character of the people is concerned and its healthiness, than Hopkinton, Delaware county. The people are sober, industrious, enterprising and intelligent. The young men, as a general thing, spend more money for newspapers, books and periodicals than for "liquor and segars;" most of the boys and girls, a dozen years old and upwards, attend the "Bowen Collegiate Institute," and their parents attend to their own business , planting shade trees in front of their cottages, building neat fences around them, and cultivating flowers as well as 'garden sauce." There is a New England air beginning to develop itself in Hopkinton - a frank hospitality and a degree of taste and self-culture, which favorable impresses the stranger and makes him want to go there the second time.
    We had occasion to visit the place the early part of the present week, and attended a festival in the evening of the 2d, and an exhibition the following evening. The festival was gotten up to raise funds with which to purchase a bell for the Institute. As good a supper as we ever saw anywhere in this State was prepared, and at nine o'clock about 120 persons, as hungry as soldiers at the close of a nine hours' march, sat down to partake of the rich edibles. Waiters were plentiful and agile, and sad havoc was soon made among the turkeys, chickens, pies, cakes, fruit, &c., &c. Everybody seemed to enjoy himself mightily from the grave and reverend pastor down to the mirth-loving editor. At the close of the supper the following toasts were read and responded to:
    1. The times we live in and the TIMES we read. - Responded to by J. Clement.
    2. The belles we have and the bell we want. - Responded to by J.H. Campbell.
    3. The women of the Revolution - they went without their tea, but they shall not go without their toast.- Rev. M.W. Harmon responded.
    4. Our absent soldiers - God bless them and give them something good to eat, a good place to sleep in, a good place to fight in, and a happy welcome home.- Prof. Allen responded.
    5. The Rebels - vinegar, wormwood and gall. - Dr. Cummings gave the response.
    At the close of the literary exercises, the cloth was removed, including the tables and two classes of young ladies went through the graceful exercises connected with calisthenics, a branch of physical education too much neglected in many of our female seminaries. The performances of the young ladies on Monday evening were almost faultless, and each class in succession left the room amid a storm of applause. And thus ended the first evening's exercises, everything passing off, we believe, satisfactorily to the large crowd of observers and participants.

    THE Butler County Jeffersonian is to be called the Stars and Stripes after the first of January next. The Stars, we suppose, will be for its paying subscribers, and the Stripes for its non-paying.

    CLAYTON COUNTY - Killed - The Elkader Journal states that a man by the name of Keefover was thrown from his horse recently near Clermont and killed! One of his feet was entangled by the stirrup.

    DELAWARE COUNTY - The ladies of Hopkinton have just organized a Soldier's Aid Society, with the following officers: Mrs. M. Harman, President; Miss J.M. Roberts, Secretary, and Miss M. Gordon, Treasurer. A similar society has got fairly at work at Delhi.
    Hopkinton has progressed considerably during the past year. Several fine dwelling houses have gone up, and business in the mechanical line has been slightly enlarged. Judging by the size and emptiness of Mr. Kirkwood's immense turning and cabinet shop, there must be a good demand for furniture in Hopkinton.
    Earlville, which, like Hopkinton, has no local print to chronicle her advancement, is gradually lengthening her apron strings. - Messrs. Daily & Harris are erecting a grain elevator; Mr. W. Hollenbeck has just finished a two story building, the basement of which is a blacksmith shop, with a wagon shop overhead, and half a dozen private houses have a very fresh appearance. Mr. C. Sanborn, for five years connected with the hotels and boarding houses of Saratoga Springs, has taken the De Sota House and looks every inch the landlord - and inches in his case are not stinted. We predict that he will keep the best house between Dubuque and Independence. The times are lively at Earlville and everybody is in good spirits.- There are no traitors there, we believe, to howl about enormous taxes.

    ALLAMAKEE COUNTY - We learn from the Waukon Journal that the "Allamakee College" building is nearly completed. It is located on a rise of ground in the western part of the village of Waukon, and is 47 by 64 feet. It is built of blue limestone and must be a very durable structure. We are glad to note such an enterprise on the part of the people of that place. They are laying the foundation for a highly intelligent community and adding a great attraction to the village.

    JACKSON COUNTY - Killed while Drunk - The Maquoketa Excelsior of the 3d, mentions the death of Thomas Duell, who fell from a load of lumber while drunk! He had been to Sabula with a load of grain, and was on his return to his home. He leaves a wife and five children, and has died as the fool dieth.

    LINN COUNTY - Sorghum - Mr. Stewart near Mount Vernon, has made 1,500 gallons of Sorghum syrup this season, and Mr. Gibson about 1,900. The Davenport Gazette thinks that in another year Iowa will not only make enough of syrup for home consumption, but have some for exportation.

TUESDAY MORNING.
    AN ATTEMPT TO BREAK JAIL. - On Sunday last George Ostrander the murderer, made a serious attempt to break jail. In the morning he asked Ned O'Laughlin for his best clothes for the purpose he said of dressing up on account of it being the Sabbath. Ned's suspicions were aroused by this, and he made up his mind to watch him. Concealing himself in the jail yard in the evening he soon was rewarded for his vigilance by seeing a hand pushed through the grate of the outer door, and an instrument shoved into the key hole of the lock. He lost no time in seizing the hand, and identifying Ostrander. He was afterwards thoroughly searched, but no other implements were discovered.
    The key used in this instance by Ostrander was an ingenuous contrivance made of heavy iron wire bound together by fine wire. It locked and unlocked the door of his cell perfectly well, but by good fortune the lock of the outer door had been recently altered, so that the same key would not turn both bolts. Ostrander must have had a confederate in this matter to supply him with the necessary materials. The took which he manufactured for the purpose of procuring his liberation was skillfully constructed and showed no little knowledge of the locksmith's art. Sheriff Cummings will take care hereafter that such an attempt be not repeated.