AMERICAN SUMMARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1952, 23 July 1891, Page 31

AMERICAN SUMMARY.

A religious imposture, George Jacob Samuel Schweinferth, has raised a storm of indignation in the Eastern States by pretending to be the Messiah. His residence, called " Heaven," near Rockford, Illinois, consists of a beautiful dwelling, handsomely famished in the midst of a highly cultivated estate of 500 acres. The community living in the house consists of 30 persons, most of them females, who are called " angels." He, was assailed at Arkansas on June 4th, and narrowly escaped a suit of tar and feathers. Schweinferth is said to be worth half a million dollars. The bulk of his followers belong to the " gentler sex," who flock around him by hundreds.

Michael Davitt, the Irish agitator, arrived in California from Ireland on June 16, and is stopping at the residence of relatives of his wife. He will remain there two months, and then pay a visit to the Eastern States. Mr Davitt ia somewhat "off" in the matter of health, and his present trip is a sanitary one. He will, therefore, cease political agitation while in the United States.

Jackson, the coloured Australian pugilist, considering he has lost prestige in the recent "draw" fight with Corbett, of California, has challenged him to a deciding fight. The white man declines the invitation.

The members of the most supported of colleges and 160 clubs held their annual dinner at Parker House, Boston, on the night of May 28, and unfortunately the affair eventuated in a disgraceful orgie. Nearly 1000 students attended the dinner, which was got up regardless of expense, and became bo drank with champagne as to be unmanageable. They smashed the dishes and' everything within reach, using disgraceful language in the presence of ladies and guests of note. The police and porters were ordered to drive them from the premises. A f ree fight followed, and some serious injuries were inflicted, especially on the collegiates. The autumn export grain trade of New York promises to be the largest on record. AH the great European steamships sailing from that port have their space reserved for cargoes engaged months ago. The American crop of breadstuffs promises to be the largest ever known. An expedition under Lieutenant Piurcy, to explore .the ice fields of Greenland, left N<°w York on June 5. Piercy is accompanied by his wife and a large staff of competent scientists. J. L. Sullivan, the American boxer, telegraphed his willingness to meet Slavin for 1900dol aside, the fight to take place on the return of Sullivan from Australia. Slavjn's immediate reply is that if Sullivan would forego his trip, he (Slavin) would defer his return to England, and prepare to meet the Boston man at once. Dean Wade, of Woodstock, Ontario, has made public the fact that Birchell, the young Englishman who was recently hanged in Canada for the murder of Benwell, confessed the crime to him just; before he was executed. A deficit of £31,000 is shown in the public accounts of Edward's Island , for the last year.