ADDITIONAL MAIL NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7317, 29 July 1885, Page 4

ADDITIONAL MAIL NEWS.

(Per United Phess Association.)

Auckland, July 27,

AMERICAN ITEMS,

By the arrival of the mail steamer fresh light is thrown on the St. Louis' tragedy, and excitement prevails m some quarters. It is currently reported that Preller, tlie supposed victim, has been seen in Canada. When this became known, especially in St. Louis, where the murder was supposed to have been committed, it caused' intense excitement, and turther revelations were being anxiously looked for. Among other reasons given in America for Preller's disappearance is that Bob Maxwell and Preller were members of some secret society, and that both men have eiitel-ed into a conspiracy to defraud some insurance companies with which Preller had insured his life to a large amount, and it was part of the programme for Preller to disappear, andtheii either Maxwell or his friends to claim the insurance. It is saul the insurance companies have refused, so tar, to believe in the fact of Preller being alive but they refuse to pay over any money whatever pending a satisfactory solution of the mysterious occurrence.

Fish, late president of the Marine Bank and partner of General Grant, was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment for corrupt financial practices.

The New York tin market was greatly excited on June 7 over a purchase by St. Rauss, of London, of all Straits tin now in London. The Ineliau Exhibition at New Orleans is to be presented to the French Government despite opposition.

A street railroad has been laid in Broadway, anel cars are running. The Pennsylvania iron mills are resuming operations, and trade is improving. A schooner sailed from Philadelphia for Vigo, Spain, to endeavour to raise Spanish treasure in the galleons sunk at Vigo in 1727. The Government granted-a concession on condition of receiving a-quarter of all treasure recovered. A French frigate, bearing Bertholdi'scollossal statue of -ff Liberty Enlightening the World," a gift from France to the United States, arrived m New York on June 17, and was received with great ceremony.y Reports from the Panama Canal state that Belgium has furnished most of the machinery. The labourers are largely composed of Jamaica negroes. Between 15,000 and 20,000 are employed on the canal. A strong opinion is expressed that M. de Lesseps' expectation that the canal will be finished iii 1890 cannot be realised. ' '

Hanlan has arranged five races between himself and Teemer, the first to be rowed in August.

A terrible storm occurred at Newfoundland on June 8, and an enormous amount of shipping was destroyed. Many lives were lost. It was the worst storm for 40 years. The Dominion Parliament passed a Relief Bill for the Canadian railway-line, which will be finished within a few months.

Detective Hoffy captured Green, alias Sprouts, a forger fugitive from Australia, at Wilmington, California. Green defrauded the Waltham Watch Company at Syehiey of £669. Papers for his extradition forwarded by the Zealandla'arrived'before the barque Estelle, from Newcastle, by which Green was a passenger, reached California. The fugitive was arrested immediately he landed. When bein" conveyed to San Francisco he attempted suicide by stabbing himself in the neck, with a penknife. The wound is not dangerous. Latest despatches from Mexico represent the finances to be in a deplorable state. Many leading houses are on the verge of bankruptcy.

Affairs in Central America have settled down quietly.

The steamer Italy foundered near Lomos, off the coast of Peru. Out of 134 passengers and crew 65 were drowned. The disaster was due to wrong orders given by the third officer, who committed suicide after the wreck.