The New York Herald Newspaper, August 29, 1853, Page 2

IMPORTANT RAILROAD INVESTIGATIONS. ‘Who flaughters on the New Maven and the Providence and Woreester Ba‘iroads, &c, ke, &e. | RE NEW HAVEN BAILBOAD ACCIBENT. THE JUDGE’S CHARGE. he Jury Unable te Agree on a Verdict, Grlal of Charles 11. Comstock, the Condactor, chargeé with Manslanghter. Beam or Connzeoriour vs. Caanuas H. Cousrocn. | Before the County Court now in session in Danba- wy, Pairfiela county, Ct., Hoa. Edward Taylor, presiding Judge. THIRD DAY'S PROOREDINGS. August 26, 1653. | The examinstion upon the part of the defendant wae continued by recalling G. B. Simmonds—Tucker had been running on a soad the year previous as an engineer, and until the secident at Horeeneck, and then left; he had been in the employ of the company for about two menths pre- vious to this accident; be had been im the shop for about a week previous to the accident ; before that | hed run the balf-past three express from New York; be wes an experienced engineer. ] Croas-examined—Thefhalf-past three o’vlock, P.M., | @auprees train stopped at Norwalk. George P. Sanbern—1I am supervisor of the New | ‘Work and New Haven railroad; | have been ac qmainted with the defendant for about four years; his obaracter as a skillful competent and cantious conduc- ter is good; I have been in a situation to know; it is ‘the engineer's duty to }ook out for obstructions and signals in regard to running a train; f think the eurve at Norwalk may be passed in safety at the vate of thirty-five to forty miles an hour, provided the draw is clesed, and the track in good order; I weached the scene of disaster the day of its cecur- pence about 3 P.M; 1 think that the locomotive was out of sight at that time, and during the remain- | der of the day; I was present at the raising; I supes- iatended it; it tay inclined towards the pier: the for- ward end was lower than the rear; it was three feet er more from ‘he pier; [ think the cowcatcher could | pet be seen from the track abeve; | put the sheet | piting-aronnd the piles;1 have not seen the piles since then ; the cowsaicher could not have been @riven into the piles without damaging it. rose examined—The casing to the pile2 was | broken; it was a twoinch plank; the cowcatcher was apparently bent by striking the sheet piling; my i on ie, that the nose of the coweatcher was | Sothaad into the mud; the pier was started to the east; the pier was constructed of a series of piles, eapped wits twelve-inch timber, as near to ‘the mud as it could be done; the stone were placed @@ top of the copping stone, and rip raps were put around the piles, and the shect casing was built around fhe stone and piles at a distance of three | feet; the water is from four to six feet deep at low water. John 8. Pickering—I reside in Danbary; am an engineer of the Danbury and Norwalk Raitread aud | intend the repairs; have been runniag engines about twelve years; { am not familiar with the eurve at Norwalk, excepting as 1 have been around | an engine; I should think that it would be per- | safe wo go around it at the rate of forty miles ! i 8 F Jenkins—Am baggage master on the New read; I was acting im that capacity in the ¥ met with the accident; in coming trough the cut below Norwalk, there was a chesk- the speed of the train; 1 jumped trom the | team about opposite the button factory; I did not yeeeive much injury; 1 should not think the train weneare more than fifteen miles per hour. Q a Mr. Comstock go into the water with the | Objected to by Mr. Terry, upon the ground tkat it | wae whelty immaterial whether. he aid or not. The @efendant is not charged with fal Begligence, but ona Begugence taat death wep we Mr. Bianly— Suppose that & taan is charged with | manelaughler by administering a can he not | shew tbat he drank it bimselt, ior the purpose of | abewing vo wiift) intention on his part? | Objection overruled, and question permitted. 4-1 do not know cf my own knoqledge; I saw him after the accident, and he was ve q 3 ; he was braised, and his face badly cut; his character asa skilful and competent cosdacter stand: hich. : Grossexamined.--I was on the platform of the first passenger car when we were coming rh the ent; [ put ee L ew on to the first passenger car in the cut; was re- to brake oe coming to stations; there was me signal given to brake up in the rock cut; Tam not certain whether I put the brakes on to the bag- wae car or not; we are required to brake up before eoming to stations without signal; | have no printed | econ Thad of this kind; the Boston baggage cars @ame next to the engine, then the way baggage car | and peeking ‘cats the speed of the train beture I applied the es was thirty to thirty-tive miles per hour; I released the brakes nearly opposite the sta- feon house; the application of the brake checked the | haps fifteen miles an hour, and perhaps not | as moch, I have conversed with no one about apply- ‘img the brake in the cut, and have not told of it till Rew; it may have been two hours after the accident | before I caw Comstock; it was always customary to | ibwake up in passing through the cut; no one gaye me aay regulations to brake up without a signal; it was ag eustem that | had; ! broke up there the day be- 7 J do not brake up at Westport or Fairdeld. fichae! Cotigan—I am switchman at Norwalk tation; it is my duty to give the switch signals by waiving a flag that th® switches are all right; { have been at that station since a year ago last Febroary; fhe train was not going at more than eighteen mifes an hour when it the Norwalk station; it went there much faster at other times than this day it if y the engine blow back at the cut, and when & he me the engineer was shutting off steam. ress+-examined—Bhe train may have Leen going twenty miles an hour; I do not think it could have | going twenty-one miles an hour; the whistle whieh | heard was the signal for approaching a sta- ~ hold of | | baggage master at Nor- | at the cast switch on | on this day; I can- | form any definite opinion of the rate o! of the train that day: [ should think it was going from to twenty-three or twenty four miles per hour; { heard the whistle when it came through fre eut; there was the usual slackening of speed on ap- proaehing the station; Comstock’s reputation is that ofa 1 conductor. Crose-examined—I came from New York to Nor- walk iast April; { was # carman iu New York; am in loy of the ay now; the opinion | which | form of the speed, | have formed from riding in the cars and seeing them pass; the train was gu- ing at the rate it usually goes around that curve. Jobn D. Perguson—Reside in Stamford; | was on | board the train at the time of the accident; was in the fourth car in the front seat; immediately after we left the Stamford station I looked at my watch, and it wanted ten minutes to ten; as we approached Norwalk there was a single long whistle, and J felt 2 cheeking of the train: | fen tociced at my watch; it'was three minutes past ten; az we passed the eurve there were two sharp whistles, and | imme- diately felt a checking of the speed. Cross-examined—I do not know whether my watch eed with railroad time that dey or not; the speed of the train was sensibly checked, but | cannot tell hew much. Geo. W. Whistler, Jr., recalled—A knowledge of Jecomotive machinery and of the capacity of a loco motive is not necessary in a conductor; the age vate of epeed between Norwalk and Stamford was 36 810 miles per honr. ‘The testimony on the part of the defence was here walk depot; I hold a white spproach of this train; I Joseph W. Hubbell._.J was on the jary of ingest at Norwalk; Lieorge Kilmer stated before the jary ‘that when the train passed through the cut he was on the tender throwing wood down; he further said that as they were approaching the bridge he saw the draw open,and jumped from the engine: he said that the time from the cut to the draw could net | bave exceeded two minutes; he said notuing about shutting off steam; be did not state that tiere was a | ignal for breaking up below the depot: | am parti- ‘ally acquainted with the defendant; | have jeard considerable said about Comstock as conductor, and | J should think hie reputation was that of a reckless man. rose examined—I did not take minutes of the ex | amination before the jory: the examination com- | meneed the day of the accident; a jury was sum- moned and they immediately entered upov their du ties; tuere was a great excitement at Norwalk at ‘that time, and it continued daring the inqnest and after; the inquest continued three or four days; @here was 4 large number of witnesses examined! should think from thirty to forty; I have not had eteasion to call Kimer's testimony to mind since they; tut there were cirenmaancca connected with ih which e me to reeriiect dletinetle what his ey'ur was; J think ' he € e } : | causes which led to the accident at Norwalk should | | the prosecution must show some act done by the de- given hy Binet bn Sis <oseetens T put several ues to ; 1 have beard cena say Coms' vet was a reckless conductor, cannot now mention the name of any one; I should think his character was thatofa reckless conductor im managing his .—What do yeu mean by manexing his train? — Sersbniion isthe pitieipal conduetor of the train, and it is wader his charge ; 1 suppose he is Captain General of the train; [ mean by reckless ness that a man is reckless when he tells the engi- neer to drive through a place like h—l. 2 Mr. Hanley—Capt. Hubbell, what do you mean sir, by an expression of this kind, when you have signed a verdict, under cath, that ne sech expression was ured. By the Conrt—The witness can testify that expres- siens of that kind were made by the defendant. By the Witners—i only supposed that if be had said so he would be reckless. Mr. Haniey--If you had supposed that Comstock com- mitted worder, he might then be arraigned upon your supporition, {have had this matter called to my direct attention for the first time since the acci- dent this morning. Direct resumed-—Mr. Burrall testified that he had Dut little to do with the management of the read, bat that rested with Mr. Whistler. ‘Thomas C. Hanford—I reside in South Norwalk; lL have been in the train once or twice with Com- stock; Comstock’s reputation.as @ conductor is, teat he is rather reckless. Q.—Will you state whether the morning express train had before that time passed around the curve at Norwalk, at a hazardous rate of Objected to by defendant's couns Rew matter and Lad no relevancy to ease. Mr. Terry—We charge a duty Which he performed regligently upon this occasion, We prove this duty by Mr. Whistler. The defend- ant then introduces witnesses to prove that it was bh ause it was the issue in the tpor the cendu the conductor’s duty to report to the superintendent | if the engineer ram around that curve at a dangerous rate of speed. The superintendent testifies that no report of thie description has ever been made, and we now offer to chow that the rate around that curve was dangerous. Al) the witnesses called by the de- fendant are railroad officials, and we offer to prove facts by some one else than railroad officers, engi- neers, or brakemen. Jtis time that the community should know if the opizion of railroad officials should govern in preference to that of others. I admit that it is a question whether this is new matter but we have shown t o report was ever inade to the superintendent; and the defendant claims that thirty miles an hour asafe rate of speed; can't we chow now that it was not to contradict their tes- timony? Mr. Poster—This whole question was gone into by the prosecution before they rested their case; we i m to the inquiry, ‘‘ What was a safe are not here to try the issue we are not charged with running the train negligently at former times, but only upon the day upon which the calamity oc- curred, By the Court—It would seem to me that the eyi- @ence which the prosecution sow offer should be confined to rebutting the evidence of the defendant, and | shoulé therefore think the question improper. Cross-examined—Comstock'’s character ag a con- ductor is reckless with reference to his manage- ment of the train, and treatment of passengers; his chsracter was more frequently a subject of dis- cuseion about the time of the accident, than before or since. Henry Fitch—1 reside in Norwalk; am a Deputy Sheriff; 1 don’t think that Comstock’s character as a conductor was as good a3 some others; be bad the reputation of being reckless. examined—He was considered reckless in running his train; I can’t tell who I have beard, but think Ihave heard the Rev. Dr. Mead speak of it; I can’t tell whether I heard bis character spoken of before the accident, but think ! heard it both before and after. William H. Holly—t reside in Norwalk; Q.—State what was the character of Comstock, ass careful or condactor, A.—He had the reputation of being reckless. Cross examined.—He was considered reekless in force too fast. A. H. Byington—Reside in Norwalk ; as far as 7 know the general remark, Cogustock was a rather fast condactor; I bave heard that mentioned fre- ro asrather complimentary to him ; I showd ink bis character was not that of a careful man. Cross-examined—I have heard the expression used, that he was rather a fast conductor ; the com- mon report was, that he was so fast as to hazard safety ; have beard Darius Davenport, of New Ha- ven, speak ef it, and Wm. C. Street, of Norwalk, spoke of him as independents 4 Thomas Warner, Jt—1 was clerk of the inqnest, and Nd took the titvutes; I recollect distinctly thit consequence of the of the defendant. It d by the ion that it was the duty of Cee to re; of that train arouwd curve—that was dangerous; and they they have pi witnesses who were pestis inthe train, who testify that the speed ae eens seoene that eurve ad upon avy other oa road. They claim to have proved by ir. Whistler, that the ordinary rate of speed of that train was thirty-five miles per hour; ano have intro- duced the evidence of a inguished mathema- tician, who has testified to calenlations made by him, tending to show the speed of this train to have been about miles per hour. They fu claim that the conductor, having permitted and allowed that train to run at a hazardous rate of speed at 20 Sangerens a ef the road, the accident ocewred eh negligence, and he is, there- fore, criminally liable. defendant claims that be bid prpesasin sramnd Wiis corre at im usual rate of speed, they say they have prov this fact bythe evidence laraletenshe Wheat tions and capacities for knowing this fact are far better than those of other witnesses; and that the steam was shut off in this locomotive im the cut below Nor- walk station, and that the speed of the train was thereby, and by the application of the brakes, sensi- bly decreased; that the duties of the conductor are | not as claimed by the prosecution, and they ray that | he had a right to suppose that the draw was closed, and the signal of the draw was right for the passage of the train, and that it was no part of his duty to look out for signals, that Lage solely the duty of the engiceer. You are judges of both Jaw and fact. ‘The jaw authorizes me to instruct you upon the law; but you are not beund to regard my instructions in | criminal matters. 1 have been requested to instruct | you that one agent is not responsible for the act of | another, amd that there is a difference be- tween a civil action and a criminal prose- eution, and such I instruct = is the law, The law will bold a party civilly liable when it will old him criminally responsible. The defendant is that he was in charge of a lawful act, and that the prosecution must show that he did some act tending to evince earelessness and reck- leseness in conducting that train. Such is the law; but I forther instruct feo that if that train was going at a dangerous rate of speed, and if you believe that it was the duty of the conductor to check it, and that he recklessly and carelessly neglected his duty in permitting that tram to run around that curve at a dangerous rate of speed, that would be euch a negligent act that it would he manslaughter if death eusted. If you have @ reasonable doubt in the case, it will be your duty to acquit the accnsed. ‘The jury then retired to their room, and the Court adjourned till2 P. M. At the assembling of the Court in the afternoon, the court Louse was filled with spectators, whe were by the interest felt to ascertain the result. P.M. the jury returned into court, and, upon being called, stated they were unable to agree, and asked for farther time. This being granted, Biey again retired to their room for further delibera- ion. - _ The jury again retnrned into court, and, on being inquired of if eae agreed upon a verdict, the toreman replied that they had not, and he must say that they could not. By the Judge—It is easy to say that. It is desir- able that you should agree at this time, and net sub- ject the parties to the expense of another trial. I think you should take more time to consider it. The jury, accordingly, will keep the case until Monday, to which time the Court adj It is supposed that the jury, with the exception of two or three, are in favor of a verdict of acquittal. It is hardly probable that they will agree at all in the case, as they have made two attempts without success, Providence and Worcester Railroad Disaster. Examination befere the Ratiroad Commis- sleners in Providence, SBYORD DAY, Fripay, Angust 26—Nathan Stevens recalled :— I have very often been upon the road to assist the regular conductors, and in such cases have always considered myself as being under their orders; Ihave assisted Mr. Taft quite often ; the morning Behe to the collision J assisted Mr. Putnam from Pawtuc- ket in collecting his tickets, but this was done at his reqnest; I a 'e the late accident to the slowness of Putnam’s watch, in connection with the regula- tions hy which his train was run; I have never seen anvthi¢g in Putnem’s gondnct that indicated reck- lessness or careleasnéss On bis part; byt should one man employed by the com; (conductor on a freight train) was in the habit of geting intoxicated when off duty; complaint to this effect was made to me at my office, and | reported it to Mr. Southwick, who afterwards told me he was retained by the com- pany on condition of his signing the “‘ pledge ;” the eorge T testificd before the jury that be was in the tender, throwing wood forward for tue fire. at pa — the train paseed through the cut below Nor- Crose-examined.—The minntes were delivered by me to Mr. Hyatt, and J have not seen them sinze, till now ; never heard Comstock’s character as a conductor qi . . J. Gruman —! am a merchant in Norwalk ; the most that I have heard against Comstock ie on ac- count of his conduct towards passengers ; besides that I heard nothing of it. The evidence on part of the prosecution was here concluded. Alfred Chichester called by defendant—I never heard Comstock’s character as a conductor spoken of ; J mean in the management of his train. A-E. Beart—t1 reside at South Norwalk ; have never heard Comstock characterized asa reckless conductor. ‘ihe examination of the witnesses in the case was concluded this (Friday) noon. There was quite a number of witnesses in attendance on the part of the State, who were not «xamined, but as their evidence would consist of a repetition of the main facts in the case, as testified to by other witnessea for the prose- cution, they were not ctiled. At the conclusion of the testimony, the Court adjourned till 2 P.M., at which time argument of the case to the jury was commenced by Wm. F’. bie adh Ex, the prosecating attorney for the county. He alluded to the circum- stances under which this prosecution had originated, and the great anxiety in the public 1ind that the be fully investigated. This prosecution was not in- stituted for the purpose of oppressing Mr. Comstock, but for the porpose of ascertaining where and upon whom the blame lay. He dweit at some length apon the evidence, and insisted that he had been guilty of culpable negligence, and that by the laws of the land he should be held liable for manslaughter. He was followed by Hon. E. "oster, of New Haven, for the defence, in an able and eloquent argument. He alluded to the intense excitement which prevail- | ed throughout the entire country, in consequence of | the calamity at Norwalk, and exhorted the jury to | disabuse their minds of any bies which might exist | in consequence of reports which they might have heaid or read. He insisted that the prosecution had utterly failed in showing any negligence on the part | of the defendant, and claimed as matter of law that fendant, evincing carelessness and recklessness in the management of his train—that the mere omis- sion to do an act, from which omission death should ensue, would not constitute manslaughter. He con- cluded by an affecting appeal to the jury to weigh well the evidence and the law, and not convict his client and subject him to incarceration within the wails of a State prison for the commission of an of- fence, ii offence it be, which he had no intention to commit, and from which those whose lives were des- troyed would unhesitatingly acquit him, could this care be left to them. Orris 8. Fi ., Cloged the argument of the case for the prosecution. He commenced by allading in a touching and appropriate manner to the causes which had led to the trial of this case at the present time. It would be impossible to follow Mr. Ferry freight train, down, is due by the time table at the Boston switch at fifteen minutes past three P. M., and the Lonedale pacenec train, up, is due at the Central Falla station at sixteen minnt it three. (The distance between these two points is not over one-fourth of a mile.) Perry G. Card sworn.—Nothing new was elicited from Mr. Card to-day, bee the production of the following “ special rale,” adopted, as will be seen, since the collision :— mage MRCAL RULE 1, Upon the failure of ary train to leaye OF arrive at any sa ion at itu appointed time, it ball be the duty of the cordvetor to report in writing the eause of the deley. 2. Any eondueter fir a train Ont of its proper place, +ball immediately report the fact in writiog. WSAaC H, SOUTHWICK, Sap’t Superisiendent’s Office, P. & W.R.R, August 22, 1863. Caleb N. Bacon sworn—I have sometimes acted Os agsistant conducter on excursion trains ; I assisted Mr. Card on the 4th of July last ; I thought there was a train poe up on t day which was not running on its time—think Mr. Freeman had it in charge as condr stor ;*I saw Mr. Southwick on board of it ; I understood Mr. Curd to say that this up train was running out of its time, and on that belonging to him ; I did not think so much of it then, from the fact that on a day like this, some confusion is likely to arise ; I cannot say who gave me my orders on the morning after the collision, but I do not think it was Mr. Gouthwick ; I had orders from some person to take charge of a train that was going out. Isaac A. Brooks sworn—I am employed by the Boston and Providence Railroad Company, as master think him to be somewhat timid; I have been fnformeu chet | of transportation at this end of the route, and have | acted in that capacity for the five years; I should not think it my duty to interfere with a con- doctor in the management of a train, after leaving a | station, unless I knew that he was out of his time, avd apprehended an accident as uence; in this case I should advise with him, and if this was not sufficient, should take very strenuous measures to avoid an accident; regsréing such conduct on m: part as right and proper, from my position as an of- ficer of the road. On the morning after the colli- sion, the mid-day train from Boston was detained between Providence and Pawtucket, something over half an hour; this was caused by a train belonging to the Providence and Worcester Railroad Company, | having in charge the wreck of broken cars, and special orders; Mr. Winslow, the master mechanic, had charge of it; I do not think Mr. Southwick had any knowledge of this matter at the time; this delay and the cause of it, was rej Kurtz, the conductor, immediately oa his arrival here; had such a thing been done on the Boston and Providence road by a subordinate officer, I think that Mr. Lee, the superintendent, would have dis- | is i charged him’ without delay; it is the rule on onr | je rng og Mic ab dh a oe Races Dl road for the conductors to report any delinquency that comes to their knowledge on the part of those employed by the company; they are not furnished by the superintendent with correct time pieces, but obtain their watches themselves. Perry G. Card, recalied—] should not obey the Master of Transportation, it I received an order from him in regard to running my train, unless it was in the absence of the Superintendent; I did through the whole of bis argument. Suffice it to vay that it was a masterpiece of eloquence and logic, and was attentively listened to and fully appreciated | by the numerous auditory in the court house, quite a | portion of which consisted of the fair sex of Danbury | and adjoining towns. } At the conclusion of Mr. Ferry’s argument, the court was adjourned til] to-morrow worni it nine o'clock, at which time the case will be closed b; Hon. Charles Hanley. counsel for the defence. YOURTH DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. ngust 27, 155. fhe coart convened at! A.M., the hour to which it was adjourned, when The Hon. Charles Hanley proceeded to address the jury for the defence. fe occupied four hours in his argument, which was one of the ablest ever made by m. The principal claim made by him was, that there was no wilful negligence on the part of the de- fendant, and the prosecution could not be sustained unless the State rhov rove some act done by the defendant, st. i" i | b wing that the negligence was wilful on bis part. At the couclusion of Mr. Hanley’s areument, His Hovor the Jad ivered his charge to the jury. nslaughter. It is alleged vitae that he was the condaetor of York and New Haven Railroad, Hoston, and ran it so negligently as to cause the death of Dr. Welch. in approaching 4 criminal trial, you are to divest your minds of ail jas, and decide this case, like al! other cases, ac- Qing to law and evidence. Manslaughter is de fined to be the unlawful killing of another, without malice, express or impled, and may be either voluntary, upon a sudden heat of passion, or involuntary, in the commission of some unlawfal act, or begligently in doing a lawful act. The prosecn tion claim that the defendant has so negligently dis- charged his duty as to cause death. It is admitted 4 train on the N trom New Yor | m i Was upable to discharge the duties of his office, and was of course absent from his post. Frederick W. Putnam, sworn.—| have been in the | employ of the Providence and Worcester Railroad Company something over three years; I had written orders In regard to running the train on the 12th of August last; | received tiem from Mr. Southwick, and Mr Stevens was present when he gave them to me; I did not hear Mr. Southwick give instructions to Mr. Stevens in regard to rendering me any assist- anee in coming down on that day; I had no con- vereation with Mr. Stevens at any time during the 12th; the usual place for the { the freight train is at Millville, and on the morning of the 12th we were detained some four or five minotes on this account; 1 beard Mr. Southwick tay to Mr. Stevens, on the evening of the 11th, that if he (Southwick) conld get up early enough the next morning, he should go up on the freight train; the reason of my being behind my time on t morning of the 12th was the length of the train, (eight passenger cars,) it being impossible to stop and start from a station in a short od of times It is twenty-four imiles from Usbridge to Provi dence, and nineteen from the former place to the Boston switch: when | was at Valley Palls no per son said anything to me in relation to my being late: I recollect comparing my time with ‘that of Mr. Card immediately after the collision, but cannot tell now ax to the diflerence between tiem; on several morcings previous to the collision, aud when | had been late. Mr. Southwick asked me the canse of it; | ted to me by Mr. | bridge train to pass | always told hin that it was caused by the freight | train; on the morning of the 1ith I was late, and waited at Valley Fails (or the Lonsdale tocome up; there were about six hundred pa board that day; and on that of the collision we had some three hundred; if my watch had been right, 1 engers on! do not think the collision would have happens, for | it eeema clear to my inind that one minnte wt Id hove saved us. w that the de it was the conductor of this traia, and that the death of Dr. Welch wes caneed hy this ent, Which the wm Whe Y Charles 8. Fi sation between M | never been more tree from all kinds of fever. stand from anything said by Southwick that Mr. Ste- vens was to go u) aud aid Putnam in his duties on the 12th; if Mr, Southwick had given any such or ders I should have heard them, for no other conver- sation d between them in my presence, except that al the freight'train; I was on one of the ex- ‘ion traing on the 4th of July last,and learned from condnetor (Card) that another train had been rupning on bis time, and when Mr. Southwick came up to station at Valley Falls and was informed of this fact, he replied by saying “ jnst as I expested;” I recollect distinctly that Mr. Card used very severe lapguage in relation to this matter; after a sion, I obtained a carriage aad carried Mr. South- wick to Providence, for the purpose of having his wounds dressed. Elisha R. Sherman sworn—J am conductor on the early freight train :rom Provideuce up, which leaves this city at a quarter past four in the morning; our first stopping place is the Albian, the second at Ux bridge; we meet the morning ger train com- ing down from Worcester, at Sutton; so far as 1 am acquainted, sil the men employed ou the road are of temperate habits; ome man hss been discharged from the service of the company in consequence of his habits of intemperance. Reynolds Dawley sworn—I am conductor on the Worcester and Providence way freight train, which leaves this city at half-past four in the morn- ings our time for meeting the Uxbridge train is at Millville at 6:42; 1 always keep out of the way of the passenger trains; 1 bave never had any difficulty with the Lonsdale train when it is tinte for me to be at the Boston switch, which is fifteen minutes past 3 P. M.; 1am asuall: there a few minutes ahead of my time; I have acted in my present capacity for about three years, and have never met with any accident; Ihave never known @ eonductor or an engineer on this road to violate his orders. Bmory Coe sworn—! was on board the Uxbridze train on the morning of the 12th of August; I am in the habit of passing over the road quite often—near- ly every day since the 1st of July, and have ascer- tained that the distance between the Valley Falls station and the Bostonswitch can be run in two min- utes with an ordinary train, and it may be done in one and three-quarter minutes; I have timed it since the collision; 1 heard some conversation that passed between Putnam and Dexter Clark, on the way down, in regard to time, and saw them comparing watches, but cannet tell exactly what was said. Adjourned. Public Meeting in Providence. [From the Prondense Journal. Aug 27 ] A bly to a call published in the several papers of this city, a meeting of the citizens was held at Weertminster Hall, on Friday afternoon, August 26, to ores sympathy for the bereaved by the late ac- cident on the vidence and Worcester Railroad, and to set forth. ut the same time, the sentiments of the community in relation to the fearful freqnency of similar disasters. The meeting was called to order by his Honor, Mayor Danforth. The Rey. Dr. Francis Wayland was called to the chair, and Clement Webster and Wm. W. Shaw were chosen Secretaries. Dr. Wayland, on taking the chair, stated the ob- jecta by the meeting in a brief but highly appropriate speech. A committee, consisting of Hon. W. R. Danforth, Hon. Amos C. Barstow, and Amos D. Smith, Eade was Speiieea to draft resolutions expressive of t! sy ‘ies and sentiments of the meeting. Hon. Thomas M. Burgess was called upon, du- ring the absence of the committee, to address the meeting, and responded briefly, counselling serious- ness and calmness in the meeting’s deliberations. a was followed by Mr. Jewett, who spoke very the "Bald ene ated of onlay 4 os wae much sev against the management of the ri as leading torbe results which we are here to deplore. The committee on resolutions came in and the a TET report:— the Providence of God, a large number of our friends and fellow siti moment, been cut off bya s have, in an unexpected and whereas, many who survived the accident are ent deai aultecing #¢- rieusly from the injuries then rece! sbereiore _ Resolsed, That we hereby tender to the afilicied fami. Jies of the deceared. and tothe surviving sufferers, the offering of our deep felt and respectfal sympathy. ed, That late alarming frequency of acei- by steamers and railroads, and particulsrly the melancholy catastropbe which has convened us this day, indicate the necessity of grester skill and caution in the management of these indispensible means of human in. reouree. Reeclved, That in the management of the means of fou conveyance, the safety of the passengers should the first object to be secured, and that any increare of profits arising from increared peril of human life, is neyht by the plainest dictates of humanity and reli- ton, evResotved, That to the opinion of thie meeting, the ttockholders of the yopions railroads terminating in thie city, will always fustein the directors of these several Yines in every effort which they may make, at whatever cost, to render them as secure from peril to human life as the ent sate of science renders practies bie. Resolved, That these resolutions signed by the Presi- pag hg Secretaries, be pabished in the several papers y: While the resolutions were under debate, the Chairman stated that an engagement obliged him to retire at 5 o’clock, and asked the mecting to elect a suceessor. The Rev. Edwin M. Stone was unanimously elect- ed, who declined. but fivally , 2 save the time of the méeling, Conmtated to occupy the cha A motion to strike ont the words, “in the provi- dence of God,” in the preamble, was carried, atter a warm debate. The vote stood, ayes 52, noes 31. ti Cog a large number of gentlemen left the r tl te It was then voted toinsert in the preamble, in place of the rejected words, the words, “ by oa mis- management of those having in charge the Provi- dence and Worcester Railroad Corporation.” ‘The third resolution was amended by striking out the last Poa rib atti se » isan out rage against the feelings: jumanity, and a violation of the law of God. f j foc fourth resolution was amended so as to read as ‘ollows:— Resolved, That in the opinion of this meeting. it is the duty of the stockholders of the various railroads termi- pating in this city, to instruct the directors of these reveral lines to make them as secure from peril to human life as the present state of science renders practicable. The other resolutions, and those referred to as amended, were then adopted, and the meeting ad- journed sine die. The Chas leston Fall Trade, (From the Charleston Standard, Avg 25.) Every indication promises a large and protitable trade to Charleston for the ensuing fall. Strangers are coming in every day from Georgia, Tennessee, etc., and though they thus come and go without any unusual caution, we bave learned of no case of fever of any sort, originating in our city. In fact, ps! ln is blessing, for which we cannot be too grateful, shall continte--and there are no indications to the con- trary—our city will, this fall, reap largely of the fruits of her enterprise. Her merchants were never better prepared for it. They have laid in full assort- wents of dry and fancy goods, hardware, crockery, i which was running on our track in direct violation of | Sroceries, boots ‘and shoes, ints, drugs; Sc, &6,, of which many of the dry goods, &c., are by direct im- portation. We learn that the revenue of the Charles. ton Custom House, for the last week, exceeded $25,000. It has so happened that these impotations and early purchases at the North have given our mer- chants great advantages for the falltrade. Since they jpop many articles, especially woollens and eavy cottons, have risen in the Huropean and North- York, as to insure to the country merchants cheaper rates in Charleston. But they understand this bet- ter than we do, experience having long ago taught them that an advance by the manufacturers, late in July or Angust, always affects immediately the Northern markets ; whereas the Charleston trade, being well supplied before that time, does not feel the effects of the advance, unless it be continued during the winter aud spring. We may, therefore, safely say to the country merchants, that the chances in their favor are, this fall, better in Charleston than in the Northern cities. Our merchants have laid in large stocks of every variety. They seem to be fully es her with the fact that Charleston has become, and will continue to be, more and more, a city to be travelled to, not through ; and whatever the alarmist may say about the main routes giving her the go by, they are catisfied that her connections with the West sre sure to make her, not a way station on a railroad, however great, but an important commercial termi- nus on the seaboard. The fall stocks for most of our wholesale houses are rapidly arriving, ond we are assured that, within the Pert gm next ensuing, the entire supply of fall Bee will be upon the shelves, and ready for distri- pation. * We have said the city is unusually healthy—per- haps no city ever presented so complete a contrast to itself, at any two periods of its existence, as Charleston now presents to her sondition one year ago. Then the fever was at its height, and had been raging for near a fortnight. Now, we not only have no fever, but none of the usual premonitions of its approach. Then, our streets were deserted; now, | they are thronged with bnay people; them, business was suspended: now, drays are running, hammers are falling, and in walking our principal thorough- fares, we are arrested at every step by the materials for buildings in the process of erection, and by the run into the stores. re shunned our ¢i ie or hurried through it with bacs of camphor to their noses; now, they return here from the North, relieved not only of the intense heat, but of all apprehension of diseases, and wall t the streets with a feeling of security and independence they failed to experience amid the mortality prevailing in the cities North and South of us. Axornrn § wpoat Wreex— We leary, telegraphic despatch that, on Monday ,vY # about § o'clock, thes \ as Gee ae to Sandusky, was struck fs bone by | irre appa of West Sis Sy cae “cei nntes, Kronor tthe ee " } Dae, or nd four or tive blo Courier, ‘The Secianst Organ—Optsiens of the Press Im English and High Dutch. We give the following extracts from some of our exchanges, premising that we expect no- thing in return but falechood and abuse from the abolition and socialist allies of the traitor’s organ, The Richmond (Va.) Daily Dispatch says:— We éont believe that his Holiness has, even now, the least idea of canonizing Bennett; but must say that in all that pertains to the great issues of the day, he is, compared with Greeley, ‘Hyperion to a Satyr.” On all the frat constitutional questions which have, within the last six years, shaken the Union to its centre, Bennett has stood boldly forth as @ ebampion of Southern nights, and of the Compro- mise measures. He has always been opeeet to the whole motley crew of incendiaries an aties who would recklessly burn their ‘hbor’s house in or- der to bring their own tea kettles toa simmer. He didn’t believe that Kossuth was a second Messiah, and could not find in his broken English anything to reeoncile him to the total annihilation of all pre- vious oratory. He don’t take stock in the Rochester Ime, and the only raps he cares for are those which , from time to time, administers to the knuckles and patesef madmen and—philanthropists. Gree- ley, on the, other hand, stands now where he did ten years ago, and we are unable to discover the least symptom of amendment. He founded the Tribune ag a fanatic—he has conducted it as a fanatic—and, doubtless, will continue to do £0, for the ‘fools are notall dead yet.” His columns are like so many al- jeys in a bazaar, where every form of inuovation, oe and humbug ery are mae patent bo, sie public, rappings, abolition, wom rights, caleehricch lairvoyarice, and Fourierism, have been vended in turn from his shelves, and are never removed till they get shop-worn, when they are pitched, without ceremony, inte limbo, to give place to other and more monstrous bubbles of our times. Greeley, having denied that he had purchased property at Pittsburg, with the view of going inte the “ manufacturing” business, the Cin- cinnati Enquirer says: “It is weak in him to deny it, for he is at the head of one of the largest manufacturing establishments in the world;” and that, —In the great “ muanufacturing business” of Gree- ley French secialiem, or each man’s wife his neigh- bor’s wife, was first retailed in this country; then abolitionism, or Northern white-stealing Southern negre; then anti-rentism, or no rents for lands, or Lynch law and murder; then Grahamism, or pud- dings of saw dust; then land reformism, or ev lazy fellow vote himself the farm his neighbor worked for; then log cabin and hard ciderism, demolishing democracy by every man getting swig- ed on whiskey and voting for Wwhiggery before e got sober; then spiritualism, or intelligence from rave yards through ghests and crack-brained char- jataus; then woman’s rightiem, er wearing the breeches, voting at elections, sangrmoaneins for offices and doing men’s duty in al! things save fol- scl ilts Bible and helping to “ mult iply and re- lenieh;” then higher lawism, or ee fellow with Bible anda Tribune in his hand ‘kicking over statutes and constitutions, and ‘‘ doing as he d—d pleases;” then anti-seetism, or all the world, pagan and Christian, discarding creeds and soaring to heaven in the same balloon, started from the same steeple; then -iam, or all the nations and tribea and people, repudiating governments and po- litical systems and living in the counsels of Greeley; then Maine Jawism, or backsliding from hard cider- ism, by jugs , jailing, firing, mobbing and State- priconing all who don’t keep sober. These are some of the wares which, at re; intervals, have over- ron the country, Sissies out by the small from the frost mannft z establishment presided over by lorace Greeley! He net going into the “ manu- facturing busipess!” Ha, ha, ha! The Petersburg (Va.) Daily Express, in an article upon “ Greeley and Bennett,” thus ani- madverts upon the late assault of our on- washed philésophers :— But re ieee never resounded with a more ve- hement or valgar vituperation than was uttered by oie, any teat tin oe 1080) Tr, 60! hy ire ct i ‘ 4 o Bennett in the \, OF the bounds of reason, pitched into most unphilosophic and ferocious manner. An in- foxicated Wall terrier conta not have snap sont him with greater-fary. To give our notion of Pte ‘assault, we quote a few passages from the editorial. An is, for introducing xi ep! ta nto ur "paper, or though we have always expressed ourselves strong]; when occasion demanded it, and endeavored to avold the mincing phrazeology of the divine “Who never ment lite”? — the columns of tioned; Hell to ears yet our readers will bear us out that the Hapress are as yet strangers to the vituperative thetoric of Greeley. Yet such is the genius whg Sets hiniself up as the jeader of morality, the regencrator of society, and the champion of cleanliness and decency. Bah! The other day the Washington correspondent of the Tribune was horrified at discovering, on Pennsylvania avenue, a “magnificent carriage,” with “fine large bay horses, covered with a har- ness heavily and richly ornamented with silver- The doors and panels were filled with heavy plate glass, elaborately cut, and morocco linings, Turkey carpet. and rich silk tassels and lappets.” To crown all, “the driver and foot- man were white, clad in blue livery, with gilt buttons.” Horrified at such a turn-out in this country of equal rights, the said correspondent waited and watched, and by-and-by he saw this carriage entered “by a middle-aged lady in black,” and then he was paralyzed, as by a clap of thunder, on learning that this splendid equi- page belonged to Gen. Pierce, the democratic President of the United States! The Tribune levellers took up the “hue and cry” in a howl of this sort of hypocritical cant :—“Oh, ye poor down-trodden and despised sons of toil! when shall come the day of your deliverance ?” &e. Now, this “magnificent carriage’ was a present to Gen. Pierce from citizens of Boston. He accepted it, and uses it ; and with a similar present, we believe, Gen. Taylor did the same thing. As to the livery, that isa mere matter of taste; and we presume that, had the driver and footman been “dressed to death,” each in an old white coat, high in the waist, and low in the tail, with a pair ef foxey boots, one leg of apair of old pants in and one leg out, our Fourierite philosophers would have heen recon- ciled to the carriage. Our German cotemporary, Der ew Yorker Demokrat, treats this case in the right way. He ridicules our Fourierite as a sans culotte, as a Jacobin, who would reduce the President to the small duties of cleaning his own boots, going himself for his groceries, and splitting his own fire-wood ; and the President's wife to thy washing of her own clothes and the patching of the President’s breeches, &c.. thus depriving a number of other persons of employment. Our German neighbor says that we may next expect to hear Greeley cry out: “ Brethren, you are betrayed. Your President eats turkey and fowl, while you have to be satisfied with beefsteak and potatoes.” The Demokrat turther taunts the Fourierite with his hypocrioy, and refers to his own partizans, who yoll through Brogd- way in their splendid carriages, with liveried servants, &c.; and winds up: Away with the hypocritical impostor. and shame upon such a party press!” Here is the extract from the Demokrat, in the original German :-— Mierét man nun nicht, rai Greeley anf % ten Wrge iff, ter Euperlatiigmus alles” oe Pecekil nod Ki beuten Gansfulotten gu wer inpem ex ben Prafrdensen ter Boreinigie Etdeten gum, Bei biechen aniedbnet, vine @quie terthes Y ta haben, der eine Livres “rage UU FS M iraigt, Schade, > Brafivent wee rad foumte ja audy bebaupten, peer geben’ sg felne Eticfein felbft vagen, un bie | HP a fein Eo; fwolten. oder die Atou Bede we "aie felbft ibuen Soffer Forbert und thee Rete « Hofen des Praficenren waldhen? Gewis, # cin Monn ve Greeley’ Schlag iit, fo foil er | ih um dot Badven nod die Berienung nid) alleia, ex foil fich at dy um tas ganic Hausweren eines deme= frattfchen Brafiventen befiimimenn Bielleicht Mebter drmal, tof dt Brdfleent cinen Tarten vergeper, and welche herebehe Delegenheit iit 8 dani niet, den De. wotrater maunipten Wrid ¢, @ er Profiecut tr T orf ws mp Gm Pieifivad wun Ko ebate cher, BP MB eeley Geb bet Q sth | and slow acevetion, aod we olé einen oflen Pariifi ve Sewelst, Deut Mboctateatsten fownte mai °8 verargen. etue pradtvolle Equipage und einen qu Jouisten Bedtenters su haben; ein fraffer ne vne cue grengenlete Une vitfe dumtheit i@ c6 aber, bem Bd! ive nten Pieree diefes ald Behlir aneechnen gu olen. Warum bai Hr. Greeley Liefes niet and u Brafirenten Lavle und Gillin ¢ geriigt? Die nie rn adbtige Heuchelet bi fee Waffermude:¢ geigt fic ov in three voller @rofe, wenn man wi af fin intimen Sreunde, wie bie Dilliordre Lrappan Toppan und andere Whigs in Shaifen, an veren K+ fF oeufdligen Way> pen mit ,geiehlofienen Helen” «i efig) gemalt fine, burch bie S ublifanijebe Stadt Nove oy mr: flatt cinem XiorcesVedienten ovr port bintn Feber. ’ . * * . * 8 Uber niatiirlid, cicfes Mud Het von der Greeleys feben Ki che, welche das Dogurs si rt: jafiet fax tte Maffen — Wein und fore Lorif ficmna: Hinweg mit dicfen beuclerifo » Vuderfectea une Schanvde iiber cine folee Parte’ ffe! Let our socialist philosophers digest that if they can. In English or High Dutch we nait them to the counter. News from Buenos Ayr Pinto—Desperate Con [From the Boston Trave! « Aug. 27. We are indebted to a mercautl« firm in this cits for Buenos Ayrea papers, broight a the bar! Edward Koppisch, which arrive at lem yester- day afternoon, from Montevideo, Jime 11. A letter from Buenos Ayres, preeeires by shis arrival, says:—< report busily ulated at iue ise of my last let- ter, as to Urquiza’s escaping, Kc . ot trne, The fact is, the party outside will not allow iv: to Tus, ated! that he wee them out of the -crspe, or sink wi them, Yoeterdsy (June 20), offics! tice was received by this government that General !iures had landed at San Pedro, a port near the norther) trontier of the pre- vince of Buenos Ayres, with 600 a» He will seon be able to collect a sufficient force to mence his marele this way, when Urquiza will find bin elf in clove quar< ters, We now leok upon the affair ». cvarly setiied, A postaeriny to the same letter says: — Last night Col. Dias, with 260 men passed over to thé inside party. This morning, 60 mo «. At this rate, Urquiza will soon be used up, and be obliged to make a Visit to Rosas av Southampton or elsewhere, # he should be lucky enough to keep out of the elutches of his Buenos Ayrezn lg. The British Packe of Juy 2 is dressed im mourning, in eonsequence of the death of “ His Exeellency Brigadier General Don Manuel Guilerma Pinto, President of the Honorable Chamber ef Re- recentatives, and Provincial Governor and Captain yeneral of the Province,” who died on Tuesday, June 28th, after a painfal illness» a few weeks. hy an obituary notice, the Packet » 3 In the present circumstances, ris ienth is a heavy blow to the province and republic His venerable age, his unblemished character, his tem erate opinions anct his mild and eoneiliatory demeanor wich jotie dis- interestedness which defied all suv! the high and responsible situation councils and government of the cous'-y. Theactual u ministers would carry on the govern- ment until the Legislature elected a new Governor. The funera! took place on the 3uta June, and wag attended by several foreign diplinatic agents and naval officers, and a large number of mihtary and citizens. The Legislature had rated his widow & monthly pension of $4,000, paper currency. 4 The Packet cevtains a moutily retrospect “for June, which it calls a memorable month in the an- nals of the city. By the siege snd blockade of that month business transactions were reduced to the lowest ebb, and many families were placed im trying ces, the butcher and b+ker absorbing a tion of their resources, znd such was the scarcity of provisions that sump'uary edicts were safely Cispansed with, During the month there had been no wholesale transactions of consequence, either in pend or manufactured goods, But since tne raisingof the blockade on the 20th izst., vesse'» had again coi dently believed that the city wou! soon again receive its share ef trade both domestic und foreign. The Packet speaks with some excitement of the Bepentary business improvemeat at the rival city ‘n, fitted him for jgned him in the large of Montevideo, which it ont hud been kindled and kept alive at thy mse of Buriws Ayres. It says { thatof the hides isterly Cexpeicbed pens Monte, video, three-fourths, at least, were ,.- _ the province of Buenos Ayres, but adds that the lar- ter government has now abundant force to stop this contraband trade, by stopping up all the small porte opened by Urquiza; and it hold. that though this couree may result in temporary invonvenience te the inhabitants; it is the only course proper, in view of the eae of the elty, after the rebellion is fally quelled. There are no hides of other nroduce at nr ip. the city, aud though there thay be onaideraile quan- tities In siber parts of the pr vince, they may be: ‘used by the rebels to subserve their interests. And in a paragraph headed “Latest,” the Packet mys that “Gen. Urquiza is having »n exact inventery taken of the horses, cattle, and sheep in the country establishments; and zepert say that one-third of these are to be demanded for the support of the federal army.” Te pegire <6 the condition of Urquiza, the Packet says that neither Urquiza nor General Lagos have any independent resources with which to carry on the campai, Though perhaps tolerably well sup- plied with men, horses, and armament, they have neither money, clothing, nor amm-mition; of the destitution and consequent discuntent of the treops, the frequent desertions are sufficieutevidence. These desertions, continues the Packet, can neither he re- strained by the measures of fiendisn severity in which Urgnisa and his councillors are such adepts ; and the Say an assault is seriously attempted against the capital will be a signal for a general dispersion, snd aps “for the massacre of the petty despots that ve outraged every sentiment of justice and hu- manity.’ The authority of Urquiza and Lagos, the Packe’ says, = ne extend an inch to the south of or tin io, where there are many parties apparen' w state of armed neutrality. i * ‘! The Packet, in conclusion, thinks that all thé forei; Af early in Christendom cannot save the rebellion trom its impending doom; but there was danger that the besieging army may retreat - by land, plondering all the rural establish- ments on the way; but even this fear is dissipated by the approach of the army of Gea. Flores. The course of the money market is said ph Packet to be the test riddle of all. ugh emission of twenty-five there had been an additional million dollars in paper money, it has not sensibly depreciated the circwating mediam. in view of the re-establishment of in Buenes Ayres, the Packet has visions of future improve- ment under the auspices of the “ awocia- tion,” which will spread before the itants of overcrowded Europe the benefits ee that extended country; and in place of present. isolated condition, mutual acquaintance, publis meetings, circulating libraries, educational establish- ments, savings banks, building socicties, with all the other means and appliances that vivify and adorm social life will spring up. The U. 8. sloop of war Jamestown and the steamer Water Witch were in port. Doubloons- closed at 336. State Stock Bank Forgertes—Arrest ef one of. the Supposed Forgers. [From the Cincinnati Commercial, Aug. 26 } It is very generally known that genuive impres- sions of the notes of several Ohio State stock banks, with signatures most adroitly forged, have been ex- tensively circulated, that the bank officers have beer: sorely perplexed in consequence, and that mach ex- citement has resnited. ‘I'he community has indeed been etaitled, and its confidence in ali bank issues shaken, by the developement of a forgery of such» astonishing boldness and success, A close investi- gation of the facts in the case was made by the bank officers and others intimately interested, to find some clue that might lead to the dotection of the perpe- trators of this forgery. Mr. Morgan, Auditor, and’ Mr. Armstrong, Register of State, visited this city in search of facts, and returning to Columbus, pur- sued their investigations with the utmost sbrewdness and vigor. Suspicion at length rested upon a young man named Ransel (amb, tormer foreman of the Cincinnati house of Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & wa+ son, engravers, situated on the corner of Main and/ Fourth streets, where the notes of the Ohio State stock banks are printed. Lamb was arrested on Monday afternoon Jast, af | his residence in Glark street, between John and Cat | ter streets, by officers DeHaven and Moore, on # wamrant issued by Mayor Snellbaker. He had been in the employ of Mr. Herees, agent for Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & ni fou About twelve years, and the imost ‘ed confidence was all that time repos- edin bin, Some mouths «70 he gave up biesituation and spent 9 short time in the city of New-York. On his return he deposited & -onsiderable sam of money with Elis & Morton. His trial takes place in the police court to-day. The most curious feature of this care in the fact that Milton Parker ong of comnterfeiters arrested belgw the city a few weeks since—a dangerously 4% omplished forger—-is, tor good reason, suppore® to have executed the forged signatures on the totes in question while confived im the Penitentioyy, from which he was pordoned by (oy. Wood only a abort time previous to his ate ar- Test, and where he acted as an assistant cle The examination before the potice court will doubtless. deyclope many interesting particulars. 18 Procented the gang of Heneprrary Sureimers.-Mr. Wolfolk, late thie tberift of Tioga county, committed suicide a few days since, by hanging. Bat a few days before this his father Lung himself; but three years ayo his randfather ended his own life in the same way. It 3a strange ilustration of ‘hereditary taint,” or of that and the tl association ccmbined. They were all wealthy men, in the most happy ciroum- stances, and gained their means. by fragal industry universally beloved for | honorable bearing. trative of tary ela he their uprig itive trong 1 hi Wis