Transcriber Notes Obvious printer errors, typos and missing punctuation fixed. Archaic, inconsistent and unusual spelling representing spoken dialect retained. A pointing hand in text within the Advertisements has been replicated using the “White right pointing index” Unicode character (U+261E). If the device font does not support this character, ☞, it may not display correctly. The table of contents has been created and added by the transcriber. Italics are represented by underscores surrounding the _italic text_. Small capitals have been converted to ALL CAPS. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 1 AN IMMORTAL PETITION. 3 FRANK LESLIE AGAIN ARRESTED. 3 Advertisements 4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration: STEPHEN H. BRANCH’S ALLIGATOR.] ---------------------------------------------------------------- Volume I.—No. 18. SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1858. Price 2 Cents. OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. We conclude, the public feel slightly interested in our libel case; therefore we shall take the liberty to lay before our readers a few extracts from the weekly press of our city, as we did in our last the opinions of the dailies. [_From the N. Y. Weekly Despatch._] During the last three months Branch’s _Alligator_ has been the talk of the town. Through the columns of his little sheet, Branch has made charges of the most serious nature against prominent citizens and office holders. At first no notice was taken of these attacks, finally, however, these charges were so generally talked of that it became necessary for the parties assailed to notice them. Mayor Tiemann, Simeon Draper and Supervisor Bell united in a complaint before the Grand Jury, who found an indictment; whereupon all the rest of the individuals who had been honored with the attentions of the _Alligator_ set to work to aid in bringing Branch to justice. His case was set down for trial in the sessions on Monday last. When the case was called, Branch announced himself ready for trial; the District Attorney, however, said he would not be ready till Tuesday. An attempt had been made on Saturday to prejudice the case by one of his bondsmen, being indused to surrender Branch, and on Tuesday, in the middle of the trial, Mr. Southworth, the other bondsman, went into Court and surrendered him. In both cases other parties came forward and took the places of these pretended friends. By applying the sharpest rules of legal practice, his testimony was ruled out and Branch was convicted, and without giving him time to breathe, he was sentenced to pay a fine of $250 and to be imprisoned in the Penitentiary for one year. The Recorder in his remarks volunteered the