The New York Herald Newspaper, November 14, 1872, Page 4

4 THE SCAFFOLD. The Desperate Negro Murderer, Grant, Quieted at Last. A SPECIMEN ASSASSIN. History of the Killing of Amanda Spence, His Aunt, at West Chester, Pa. HIS FEROCITY IN PRISON. Murderous Attacks by the Demoni- acal Captive Upon the Keepers. Wand-to-Hand Fight with Four Wardens. AN INCOHERENT CONFESSION. Fast Society, Fast Women and Hard Drinking His Ruin. Sn The Culprit Suffers the Last Penalty Without a Murmur. West CuEstEr, Pa., Novy. 13, 1872, About a year ago this quiet little town was awak- ened from its wonted lethargy by the report of a brutal assassination within its precincts. The report upon investigation proved to be true. Weltering in her nlood lay Mrs, Amanda Spence, assassinated by one George Grant. Both parties were colored, the murdered woman having lived in the place since 1849 and was justly considered a respectable, inoffensive person. By industry and frugality her- felf and husband had gathered together enough money to go into business for themselves, At the time of the murder they were keeping an oyster aloon and restaurant and making a very comfort- able living. Grant, the murderer, was a barber and had married a niece of the Spences. After the marriage some difficulty arose between Mrs, Spence and Grant, which culminated in her death, THE FATAL SHOT was fired about nine o’clock on the evening of the Sth of October, 1871. It is a very quiet time in Buburban towns, and the report was heard by several persons, who ran to their doors to ascer- tain the cause, Following the direction from which the report seemed to have come, the people found themselves at Spence's oyster saloon, next door to the Eagle Hotel on one side and adjoining the alley which leads into Parker’s coal yard. The building fronts on Gay street, and is occupied as a barber shop, oyster saloon and residence. oyster saloon is in the basement, and is reached by descending some five or six steps from the pave- ment, and the barber shop is on the first floor over the saloon. The room immediately in rear of the Festaurant, and on the same floor, ia used as a kitchen, and the balance of the building as a resi- dence. The pavement is on a level with the saloon floor, and about three feet below the surface of the alley, from which it is divided by a close board fence, in which are two gates. In the rear of the buiiding is a small piece of ground planted in cab- bage, fowers and shrubbery. It was here the mur- der was committed. At the time of the murder a girl, twelve or fourteen years of age, was in the Kitchen. She stated 1o the Coroner's jury during the investigation that her grandmother (Mrs. Spence) had just returned from visiting some neighbors and had gone into the yard to close the shutters, Having closed the shutters she started to return to the house, and had just touched the door- latch when the shot was fire’, and the girl heard her grandmother exclaim “Oh |’ She rushed into the saloon and told her grandfather that “some- body had hurt grandma.” By this time some people had arrived on the premises and found Mrs. Spence lying on her back, her feet in the doorway and her head and body on the paved area, She was imme- diately taken up and carried into the house. She said not a word, but gasped a few times and almost immediately expired, SEARCHING FOR THE MURDERER. The news spread with rapidity. Anxious in- quiries were made as to who could be the murderer. Suspicion pointed toa man named Barrell, as he had a few weeks previously uttered threats against Mrs. Spence for compelling him to disgorge a ten doilar note he had stolen from a customer in the barber shop. Barreil lived just outside of the town, at Bowers’ mill. Oficers Bobb and Lynch teok a carriage at once and proceeded to Barrell’s house. They found him at home and arrested him. Before twelve o'clock he was lodged in the county jail. Previous to Barrell’s arrest a search was made on the premises of the murdered woman for traces of the murderer. During the search an old musket was found under the shrubbery. The musket barrel had been cut off to within six or eight inches of the nipple. The stock had also been sawed off and whittled down, the design of the party who did it evidently being to make a horse pistol of it. On the steps a partially burned and singed piece of calico was found, which had been used as wadding. THE POST-MORTEM EXAMINATION revealed the fact that three balls had been shot from the weapon into Mrs. Spence’s back; one, a heavy slug, was sticking in the skin under her left breast; the other two (buckshot) had passed through the heart and lungs. In the course of the examination the pistol was produced, but no one recognized it. George Grant, the murderer, saw it, but “knew nothing of it or who it belonged to !"’ Grant remained in the house all night and as- fisted in various ways. He helped carry the body eee He also went to a livery stable and got ahorse and carriage for Mr. Spence to drive to Philadelphia to notify the ing assisted in getting breakfast | THE OWNERSHIP OF THE PISTOL was traced to Grant, and he was arrested. He ad- mitted having owned it, but said he had lost it several weeks since, while shooting crows in a field near the town. lore. His stories being so contradictory he was locked op Witnesses were found who remem- bered he had borrowed @ ramrod with a screw in it to clean the pistol; that he loaded it with slug and shot, the same as found in the body of the mur- dered woman; and the calico het | found on | or the doorstep corresponded with some found in a bureau drawer in Grant's house. His reputation was not altogether unsuliied, he having spent two or three terms in prison; and taking ali the facts into consideration it was de- termined to hold him for trial Barrell | was believed to be an accomplice, The trial quickly followed, and ended in Grant's conviction of murder of the first degree. The evidence against him was very strong, numerons witnesses having sworn to seeing the pistol in his possession on the night of the murder, the evidence of Re- becca Price and Eliza Dennis being especially damaging. CONCLUSIVE TESTIMONY OF GUILT. spnibeoes Price, on being sworn, deposed as fol- Jsaw Grant on the night of the murder about eight o'clock; I fix the time by the departure of the seven o'clock’ train; It was about three-quarters of an hour after the train had left that he came to my house; he Pras there from ten to fifteen minutes; he asked my’ son for ® penknife; he replied that had none; Grant reached ‘in the cupboard, & case: Went to the bureau commenced Magy ng y daughter sakes him whet be ; y one of your busi ae could attend to his own budinere; he hed’ a large pistol #; he hada large pistol spre mane ie reached gs! back under Bis coats me; ‘whe ell tow he andkerchief in ‘his hand’ he wsked we fore a a pin; I could not see what be tearing something tor e was doin; he appeared to 1 r than paper; , powder on the bureau c: after he leit’ there wae no uch mark there belore; Grant lit Acigar ‘and ene ne H"soon heard the report of h pistols ate Went outs twenty minutes after I heard the report. Grant eas hiy door and said to my son you ke oran Ut the stepa with the gleis fof about tive miniaes He sat Eliza Dennis sworn—Saw Or as going in the ction oi his wife works; he ot.eet; I was on my way to Curtis Smith's ste he passed me he said to himselt, “the d—d }) J will maioh her be‘ore sunrise} I heard him grit his teeth ax le uttered these words. * * * He said the £—d vid b—b was (rying to put mischief into his wi Goad; that Le had watened for her yae wight to kil The | ana nad frozen his fect; Tepoke to him about the conse- Nees of | thing; he said he did not caro a damn What became of his souf or himself, aoe When the jury brought in their veratct of guilt; Grant's counsel gave notice that they would app! 7 for a new trial. @ Supreme Court denied their prayer, and Grant was sentenced, in accordance with tue tinding of the Court that tried him, to be hung November 13, 1872, He waa remanded to the Jail, where he has since remained, never havin, ven tho keepers any special trouble until last ‘ednesday. Two or three weeks ago Grant begun to ve very uneasy. HE WAS IMPENITENT, IMPATIENT AND REVENGEFUL, The first suspicious circumstance than arose camo from a request from Grant to his keeper for & quar- ter of a pound of snuff, a3 he wanted to preserve his clothes from the moth! This was, in popular parlance, altogether “too thin," and . Haines, he keeper, declined to get it. Grant was confined in one of tho cells on the third tier, On Wednesday aiternoon Key. Joseph Evans visited Grant in his ceil, and labored with him for his spiritual welfare, but came away discouraged. Grant's wife was with him also on that day, but left a8 the minister entered, About five o'clock, as the keepers were engaged delivering supper and locking up the prisoners for the night, Grant sent for Mr. Haines, There were on duty at this time B. F. Haines, keeper; James Shearer, assistant; Clement Cooper, day watchman, and a colored prisoner; named Jolin Lansdale, who is kept busy 1n various ways about the prison, As Mr. Haines entered the cell Grant called his attention to some smoke arising in the back part of the cell. While in the cell Grant struck him two severe blows on the head with a very formidable weap.n. ‘The first blow was on the back part ol the head. On receiv- ing it Mr. Haines called for lelp, A second blow followed immediately, and Mr. Haines lay BLEEDING AND BENSELESS ON THE FLOOR, Grant sprang out into the corridor, but the asaist- ants had arrived, and they rushed for him. Grant Tan towards the north end of the jailand sprang over the corridor to the floor on the second tier. Here he was met by Cooper, and a fearful struggle was the result, both the prisoncr and keeper beat- ing each other with billies in the most terrible manner, Sheaior obtained Mr, Haines’ pistol and Tustted to the scene of confict, Grant sprang upon Shearer with the erocity of a tiger, but Shearer got tle best o1 him aud pounded him over the head With the pistol. By this time Lansdale came up and Grant was thrown over the rail to the paved court below, Here he again met Cooper, and both men went at it again with renewed activity. As the fight progressed they neared the door leading out oi the court into the vestibule or room oclug into the street. Shearer approached and fire three or four shots iuto Grant, bul, strange to say, without effect. Grant, finding the odds too muc! against him, put for lis cell and entrenched him- self behind the door. Mr. Haines, havingrecovered sufficiently in the meantime to get up and walk away. Having got inside his cell, the prisoner ias- tened the door and secured it with an iron hook from the inside, and then bade defiance to-every one, sta that he was well armed and would shoot. He kept his cellin a state of slege for over fifteen hours, and would not surrender until the next morning. He made several prcoceal looking to a surrender conditionally. ‘or instance, he asked to be left alone three days. Failing in this, he asked one day, but nothing would be agreed to by the officers; and then it was suggested that he be chloroformed or drowned out, but neither of these suggestions was acted upon. He remained quiet during the bight, but covered his window and cell door with blankets early in the morning. HE SURRENDERED ON THURSDAY morning and allowed the oficers to enter his cell without molestation. It was discovered that he had padded his body with blankets and an old coat, and none of the bullets penetrated to his skin. I was shown @ coat yesterday that he had wound around his body, inside his-shirt, There was a hole in it where the bullet passed through, and the collar was covered with blood where he had bled from the wounds on his head. Mr, Haines was badly hurt about the head and Mr. Cooper was also severely injured in the struggle. both men, I am glad to say, are improving, although Mr, Haines is still confined to his bed. On Thursday morning, before Grant surrendered, he asked for Mr. Hodgson. When Mr, Hodgson arrived Grant gave him the following document and asked that it might be published :— LOOK ON THAT AND THEN ON THIS ! West Cuxster, County Prison, Nov., 1872. West Curster, Soura WAnp, IN Oarn ov Mn, Danizn YounG, FoR The GRAND ARMY OF THY RePuBLiC I hope these few lines may find all who may read or hear them read enjoying the best of health. Thank God, Tam well. This opportunity affords me great pleasure t0 pen these few lines of advice. First, allow me to ask you, my dear fellow citizens, how you are heading at this pres- ent time. My dear triends, those know or are well acquainted with not know me, I will try and explain a small portion of my tormer life in the days that aro passed and gone. GAt it seems. very hard to me to call those outrageous thoughts to my ‘mind, even to write them, Second, disrespectable company foolishly was my choice, and 6 lice, and in the morn- | ‘When shown the pistol the | previous evening he denied having ever seen it be- | | them, also that destructible companion who answers to name of strong drink. Third, women of ill tame. Through these three instruments the devil has caused me to be hated even with bloodthirsty revenge. It has caused at last that I am surrounded in unjust law and a horrible death ismy doom, Falsely I have been persecuted and robbed of my just rights both in law and sel-respect, My dear readers, please consult your own minds as L tell you the cause of this all. It is those three choice, destructible companions, Which were my heart's delight once, but, my dear readers, I feel happy to in- form you alin thistong and misérable incarceration I have meditated deeply and lamented those three destructible companions. So, my readers, Jeaso take warning and advice by these few ines from me. If there are any of you inclined to any of these three destructible temptations haste and free your- self from them before they surround you and bind you from Your just rights in law and self-respect as they have me. On! dear readers, here is one bright and yood solation—Jesus Christ, the h life. Ob! He is the strong temptations. Oh! dear readers, it you have not, loved and given yourselves to Jesus, who loves you, take ad- vice from one who has experienced the bad and the good. ‘The sooner you start on your knees in, tears and with ali your burden of sin will fighten. Oh, that I was a good scholar! How I would love to write and_ tell fou all the Joy jand happiness I do enjoy | in loving Jesus! The day of my death is very close by, but I can cheerfully say speed on happy day and take ine from this world of sin, shame and sorrow. It has been said Idon't talk much. It is truc, I have no need for much talk with men of this world ho more than to advise any one who isnot on his guard that hell ts very large and always very hungry for these who will not take advice and hear the word of God; and the devil, in the form of strong drink, and in the form of bad com- , and in tne form of ill-fame women and a great many other evil temptations, will rob the strong. man of just rights’ in Jaw and on- and life of everlastin, ited of all that is evi est respect. Just consult your own minds how honorable Judge Butier said when my trial was going on ir Rebecca Price's word can be relied on that I Was aguilty man. There ls something, my dear readers, to look into a woman I thought well ot. 1 hope that will be a warning it there is any one who Is inclined to any of these three destructive temptations. I will now bring my letter to @ close. Yours, very bist and ey ae GE GRANT, lly, GEO! ‘Oh! think how unjust! The Hon. Judge Butler asked Officer Eber Miles If it was a general thing for colored Roonle tn the borough of West Chester to tell the truth ? rr. Miles says no, which is nore than Mr. Miles or any ‘one else can say to be the truth. I hope this all won't be forgotten. Yours, truly, KEORUGE GRANT, As the fatal day drew nearer Grant seemed at times to be repentant. He expressea sorrow for his misdeeds and promised to be tractable in the juture. When I arrived at West Chester yester- day and called on the Sheriff he told me they pro- posed to IRON THE PRISONER in the afternoon. It was feared there would be trouble, and Sheriff Gill had made every prepara- tion to'secure the fellow. I went to the jail about half-past one. There were present one of the Jail Commissioners, the Sherif, three or four keepers and two outsiders, brought in for the occasion, to help in case of a disposition on Grant’s part to show fight. Sheriff Gill put a six-shooter in his coat pocket, another man carried a wrench, an- othera mallet, akeeper bore the handcuffs and “ankiets” and I carried my pencil and note book. Grant was in a ceil on the upper tier. The party went up, and the Sheriff opened the door, A man passed in, quickly fol- Jowed by a second and a third and a fourth. Grant was taken completely by surprise. When he was informed ef the nature of the Visit he said he would rather be ironed down stairs, as he feared he could not walk down after being ironed. As it was the intention of the Sheriff to take him down stairs finally this request was acceded to, and the party, with Grant in charge, returned to the lower or | ground tier of celis. Grant was conducted to a cell | on the righthand side, and the keepers and the Sheriff followed. Then began a series of impreca- tions and crying and fault-filnding. Every one pres- ent was accused of + WANTING HIS HEART'S BLOOD. “You would kill me now if you could, and you ail know I am innocent, so you do,” he continued, in the intervals between his tears and imprecations, There was some difficulty in finding a pair of hand- cuffs to suit, as it was found the others had been broken when the party entered the upper cell. | Grant told us le broke them On the iron edge of the sink in the cell. Finally the manacles were ad- justed and the handcuffs seourely fixed and sprung, and we retired. The Jail Commisstoner asked me up to look at GRANT'S FORMER CELL, and such a sight! The wall was covered with blood from Mr. Haines’ wounds, the bedding and straw scattered about the floor, two holes dug into the | wall above the door where the desperado had hoped to make his escape since last Wednesday. Some one found a billy, recently made, which I found by its weight to con- hist of somethin, besides lead. I cut itopen and found it was made of two pieces,of file, a lot of green worsted wrapped around these pieces, and the ed with cord, It had 4 leather cover, ave been & formidable man's hand, Grant had a weapon in a atrong valise, Which was brought down stairs, In the valise were found @ number of small steel saws. When I left the jail Grant was with his spiritual adviser, The Sheritf sent him some oyster soup, but he found fault with it. He wanted it put into atin pan, Then he wanied the Deputy Sheritr to leave; but that oMcer replied that it must be eaten while he was present, Grant got up and took the soup to A corner of the cell and threw it on the Noor; then, turning to the Deputy, said, “You come in here thinking to make me mind. I could, with all my irqns on, hold you till you squirmed,” The Deputy had no further business in that cell. HIS LAST NIGHT ON EARTH. When evening shadows began to gather, and the howling of the wind and flying leaves made the traveller in the streets hasten home, the des- perate wretch, whose span of life on earth was Window at the blank prison wall without and cursed in his heart the causes that had deprived hin of his liberty and would soon deprive him of his life. “Oh! it seems very hard on me to cali those outrageous thoughts tomy mind, even to write Second, disreputable company foolishly was my choice, and also that destructible companion Who answers to the name of strong drink, Third, Women of ill-/ame,” he had written in bis “con- assuredly fo short, looked through his narrow | fession,’’ as the people here term it. How much of agony {a developed in the recollections and the re- morse attending the life he has evidently led! Ro- niorse was keen, even in the mind of this poor, ignorant, brutal murderer. His uncouth manner of conveying his sentiments detracts not a whit from the moral conveyed, and if one life is saved by reading the record 01 this tragedy the mission of the journalist, to report its close, will not have been in'vain, The keepera went their accustomed rounds and reported ail well. No sound broke the silence save the suppressed whiaperings and stan — iin bs cell of bi Soersereaee Yoga? an ¢ Gospel was with the uahappy mai might tancy at times that bis ap) to Grant were being met with a responsive tremor of that giant framo; but his mind wandered from the | ged mystery of the hereaiter, his whole anxiety, uppermost thought being to gain an advantage over hiskeepers. But this could not be, The last turn of the rivet op his manacies, the final ‘click’? to the closing handcuas destroyed the last faint chance of escape. Hope had fled; yet he hoped. But at times he felt the full strength of his position, and hope was superseded by fell despair. As the shadows of evening lengthened the Sheriff ad- vanced noiselessly dowa the corridor and looked around him. Everything was hapa! but it was deomed best to make assurance doubly sure, Two lights were brought into the corridor and fixed on each side of Grant’s door; the outer door, which is of wood, being left open, and the inner one, which is of iron and grated, tightly closed and secured, ‘The first two of the six men detailed to guard the prisoner were brought in and began their wateh or #ix hours, to be in turn reileved by two others, and 60 on till morning. PREPARING POR DEATH, At nine o'clock Grant thought he would like to have some minco pie, It was given him. He ate a whole pie, and then asked for water. He slept soundly all wight, and awoke in the arnyg, feel- ing weil. At Seven o’clock he ate a hearty break- fast. His religious adviser came in early, and began a conversation with the prisoner about the future of his soul. Grant Listened attentively, and replied in monosyliables. As the mo: ning wore on and tue timo neared jor the execution or the law Grant became a little nervous. One of his attond- ants asked him if he would like to have anything to eat. He replied he would like @ littie more mince pie. Of course hia request was granted. At forty-five minutes past ten the Deputy sheriff, Major Macfarland, swore all present as deputics. At cleven o'clock the Sheriif, Mr. Gill, accompanied by Lewis Evans, the village ‘blacksmith, proceeded to the cell of the condemned, and informed him that his time had come. Grant submitted quietly to the removal of his manactes. His arms were then pinioned and his hands tied in front, THR PROCESSION, consisting of the Sheriff and deputies and tho Sheritr’s foes then began the march to the scaf- fold. As the procession emerged from the prison to the yard a number of negroes were seen perched on the root of a house hard by, morbidly interested spectators of the tragedy within the prison wails. Owing to the precautions oi the authorities they could see very little, aa the scatfold was erected directly under the aagie of the prison wall. THE SCAFFOLD was very simple in construction, consisting of two upright posts, twelve feet high, with a crossbeam from the top of each, Seven steps led up to the port which was made like @ table, with tho eas falling inward. Arrived on the scaffold, Rev. Joseph Evans offered a short prayer in the prisoner’s behalf, Grant's lips murmuring an in- audible response the while. The Sheriff, Gill, at the conclusion of the prayer, produced some cord, with which he tied Grant’s ankles. Fave ee formed this duty the minister bade Grant fare- well, When the Sherif shook hands and whispered a word of hope to the trembling wretch, The Deputy Sherif! gave Grant a farewell pressure of the hand, the black cap was adjusted, signal given, the rope was quickly pulled, the trap tell to the brick pavement, and the body of George Grant swung in mid air. Tie rope was not very tightly adjusted, and the knot slipped around to the back of his neck, Death was not instanta- neons, but was tnduced by strangulation. The piysicians did not pronounce life extinct until the Boay had hung twenty-three minutes, There ts a general feeling of reliet among the people here now that the execution has taken place, for Grant was very reasonably feared, and especially by the colored people in this borough. BOARD OF COUNTY CANVASSERS. The Board of County Canvassers assembled last evening in the chamber of the Board of Super- visors, Daniel E, Conover presiding. After the adoption of several unimportant resolutions it was discovered that a deadlock was placed on the pro- ceedings of the Board, inasmuch as the returns from several election districts were incomplete. General Cocarane addressed those present. He argued that there were a great many obstacles in the way of commencing the canvass of the re- turns in consequence of the irregularities on the part of the inspectors and poll clerks, who have in many instances failed to comply with the law, which clearly stated that the inspectors and poll clerks of each district should sign their names across the envelopes containing ‘the returns, in or- der to avoid transferring, and cited the nmebiar section of the Election law:—*The said in: tors shall make triplicate statements of the result Of tne canvass and estimate of the votes, Each of the statements shall contain a caption stating the day on which and the number of the election district and Asseinbly district and the city and county in relation to which such statement shall be made, and the time of Opening and closing the polls of such election district. It shall also contain a state- ment showing the whole number of votes given for each person, designating the ofice for which they were given, which statement shall he written or artly written and partly printed, in words at length, and at the end thereof a certificate that such statement is correct in all respects, which cer- tificate and each sheet of paper forming part of the statement shall be subscribed by the said inspectors and poll clerks. If any inspector or poll clerk shall decline to sign any return he shall state his reasons therefor in writing, and a cop: thereof, signed by him, shall be enclose’ with each return. Each of the statements shall be enclosed in a envelope, which shall then be securely sealed with wax and each of the inspect- ors and each of the poll clerks shall write his name across every fold at which the envelope, if un- fastened, could be opened, and across the seals thereon. One of the envelopes shall be directed on the outside to the clerk of the Board of Super- visors; another to the County Clerk, and the third to the Chief of the Bureau of flections, Each set of tallies shall also be énclosed, securely sealed and signed in like manner, and one oi the en- velopes shall be directed on the outside to the Chief of the Bureau of Elections and the other to the Mayor. On the outside of every envelope shall be endorsed whether it contains the statement or the tallies, and for what election and Assembly dis- trict.” In his mind it was clear that the attend- ance of the inspectors and the poll clerks was in- dispensable, but meanwhile he proposed that they should proceed with the canvass. That it was necessary to have legal advice he admitted, and he trusted that the services of the legal acdlviser of the Board of Supervisors would be called into requisi- tion, in order to make the proceedings of the Board legal. fhe CHAIRMAN then stated that the First Assem- bly district, in consequence of there being only five signatures, should by law be ruled out. |The Second did not contain a single district the returns of which were properly made out. Supervisor VANCE was of opinion that notwith- standing the irregularities in question, the Board ongnt to proceed with the canvass, jayor HaLt then addressed those present. He referred to a resolution already proposed by him and said:—If the Board can question the authen- ticity of one district he would lige to know why it could not question all, and cited legal authorities in support of his argument. It was, he said, incumbent on the members of the Board to guard, as much as possible, against any tampering with the election returns, and he, as & lawyer, knew they had it in their power to remedy the defect, and at all events, as a matter of policy, it was wrong to say that the guarantee should be dispensed with. He felt certatn that, unless some steps were taken now to put a final stop to all tampering, the inspectors and poll clerks at the next election would entirely neglect their busi- ness, In one of the Assembly districts he had heard it stated that a m.mber claimed there was something wrong, inasmuch as his opponent had been elected by only one of a majority, while there Was no doubt the election of Aldermen would be very ciosely contested, and unless the law was strictly complied with he, a8 a lawyer, would be very glad to contest the legality of any member returned. He thereford thought, in jm- prpseing, his views on the Board, he was but discharging a public duty, and he earnestly hoped they would do nothing outside of the strict letter of the law, for the omission of the inspectors and poll clerks furnishcs a more than sullicient question of law. Several members addressed the mecting, advo- reatel the sentiments of Mayor Hall, and ulti- mately a resojution was adopted that a committee of three, in addition to the Secretary of the Board f Aldermen and the Secretary of the Board of upervisor#, be Appointed to examine the enve- lopes of each district, and report accordingly, The meeting then adjourned until this morning, at ten o'clock. It may be mentioned that Mr. Davenport stated that the names of the Aldermen already published as elected by the Associated Press and police figures correspond with those elected by his own returns, though there are some cases of difference as to the respective number of votes received. Something Gone Wrong. Considerable excitement was caused at Police Headquarters yesterday afternoon by the an- nouncement of the reception of a despatch from the County Canvassers, ordering all the poll-clerks and inspectors of the First, Second and Third As- sembly districts to appear before those gentiemen. About three hundred persons had to be notified of of the desire of the canvassers to interview them, and it was evident from the looks ofgome of them, as they hurried to Headquarters to find out what Was the matter, that something had really gone wrong. Whether the election ofiicers were ac- quainted with the danger in which they stood or not could not be ascertained; but the ‘public will, no doubt, be duly informed of the cause and mean- ing Of the thundering despatch. MANSARD ROOFS. The Danger to Which New York Is Exposed by Their Faulty Construction—Where the De- fects Lio and the Remedy—The Mansard the Main Cause of the Conflagration in Boston—The System Must Bo Either Modified or Abolishod. The audden desolation that within little more than a ycar has visited two of the most flourishing cities of the American Continent and the terrific rapidity with which they were destroyed by the dread element of fire naturally calis attention to the causes which contributed to bring about two such sweeping disasters. It would be impossible to imagine that they could occur if everything in the construction and government of the cities was right, and the question comes significantly home to us:—Is our own city liable to be overtaken -with @ calamity similar to those which have overtaken Boston and Chicago, and if 80, what steps can be taken to preventit, The difference in the construction of the three cities is not great enough to warrant the conclusion that New York is safe irom sudden danger, and in some respects it is more exposed to it than either of its sister cities. That the two greatest conflagrations which the world has witnessed in 300 years should have occurred in this country within so short in- tervals from each other {is @ stavtling tact, and from present appearances we may expect one or two similar visitations in overy de- cade. When the spectacle of powerless fire departments. and devastating tormadoes of flame is witnessed around us in such rapid succession New York may well tremble for its safety, and should devise means to render utterly impossibie any blow to ita onward march in trade, commerce and civilization, An extended conflagration in New York would be the decisive overthrow of ‘AMBRICAN INDUSTRY, for our city is the Empire City of the Union, and the downfall of its interests would be the common logs of the Arierican people, Among the causes which Lave contributed to the fires in Boston and Chicago, the one most fre- quently heard of and omphatically dwelt upon by experienced builders is the rapid growth in the two cities within the past five years of buildings with Mansard roofs. The experience of every city in the Union Sepcung. the fact that how- ever beautiful such buildings may be in architectural effects, and however conducive they are to convenience, room and com- tort, they contain grave detects which can only be remedied by the total abolition.of the Mansard or a reatly improved method in its construction. Kimost every editice that is now being erected is not considered saie without the addition of one of those roofs—stores, dwellings, hotels, manufac- tories, asylums, hospitals and other edifices devoted te public purposes, On most of these the Mansards, in conformity with @ spirit of Jalse economy an an ostentatious desire for display, ARE CONSTRUCTED ENTIRELY OF WOOD, with a thin covering of slate on the outside, fast- ened to wood, leaving the upper portion of the building, in case of @ sudden conflagration, en- tirely unprotected, Atter the Culcago fire a select committee was appointed by tae Board of Underwriters to exam- ine into the whole system of French or Mansard roofs, and from the published result of the investl- gation an idea can be had of the estimation in which such roojis are held by insurance men, ‘The entire system as it now rovalls 2 qenounced in anmeasured terms, ang modification or over- throw demanded as the only safeguard against sudden fire in ali great commercial and Manufacturing centres, Mansard = rools are of French origin, but. the style in which they are constructed here ditfers entirely from that aria, In Paris it isin all cases required that | the walls should extend above the horizontal and als» the slope of the roof, and they are never under any circumstances to be allowed to be uncoped. Wood is not permitted to be used except in the main planking, and everything that would havea tendency to attract or feed fire is CAREFULLY GUARDED AGAINST. It has been stated by some that such coping tends to destroy the architectural beauty of the edifice, but this theory can be entirety refuted by the examination of such structures as the National Park Bank, the Equitable Life As- surance Company, the Heraip building, and others, which are perfect models of strength, symmetry and beauty. The roots of all these buildings are entirely constructed of stone and iron, No woodwork is used, and even the plaster- ing is upon iron lathing. The same can be said of very few of the apparently magnificent edifices which adorn Broadway, which, however pleasing in their exterior and graceful in their appearance, are utterly unable to offer any opposition to a strong fire when it comes upon them. It 1s an ab- surdity at the outset to first erect buildings of great height—six or seven stories—make the lower part fireproof and then put a tinderbox on the top to ridicule what has been done for safety under- neath. Among the beret serious defects of the system may be mentioned the extreme difficulty which confronts the firemen in their efforts to ex-. tinguish flames when they break out in the roofs of these buildings. In Boston, from their immense height, it was found to be utterly impossible to bring a stream of water to play upon them, and the showers of broken slates which rained inces- santly down upon the heads of the men at work forced them to withdraw to sucha distance from the buildings that their efforts were entirely neu- tralized. — THE FIRE IN BOSTON originated in a building with a Mansard roof, was fed by Mansard roots, and only checked when it reached a district in which there were no Mansard roofs to burn, The number of these roofs in Boston was extremely large, and they have found favor in almost every cy OF the Union— in New York, Brooklyn, eae ia, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Newark, rtford, Chicago and other large places. In none of those citles can the roofs be called safe, and they offer no protection against fire; and in Franklin and Devonshire streets, in Boston, they extended whole blocks without any visible break. In White street, in this city, much valuable prop- erty 1s similarly exposed, and the Board of Under- writers have several times called attention to the ae of the buildings in certain parts of the streets. The report of the committee mentioned before winds up by saying that the only safety of the city of New York lies in a radical reformation of the law relating to this important part of buildings. It states that it has been suficiently demonstrated that there is no necessity why those handsome additions to THE CITY ARCHITROTURE should be lost if certain conditions are observed, and the committee end thelr report with the foi- lowing suggestions :— Where Mansard roofs are placed on dwellings where the roof is not over ten feet in height the casings, frame: rafters and sheathing may be of wood, provided, in. all cases, the coping on the face of the roof is not less than twelve inches In depth, but in all cases division walls must be carried through the roof and coped in the usuai the casings, frames, rafters roofs must be of iron or other more buildings are altered hereafter to be co} one roof, the dividing walls of the same shall be carried through the roof, and coped at least twelve inches on the top, as Well as on the face at every fifty feet. Mr. McGregor, the Superintendent of the Public ee Department, furnished some interesting particulars in relation to fire-proof buildings, re- ood, particularly to the Mansard. He shares in the opinion of Captain Damrell, the Chief Engineer of the Fire Department in Boston, that Mansard roofs contributed to the spread of the fire, but the great danger in his opinion lies in the per which are not constructed of suMfi:ient strength to withstand the flames, The following extract in reference to the roof is taken from his pu Jlished report of 1869:— In this connection I deem It necessary to refer more articularly to the manner of constructing “Mansard” or Je of roof with which @ number of our largest and lofty hotels, banks and other public buildings, which have been erected within the past few years, are surmounted. Many of these structures tower ‘up far beyond the reach of any ordinary streahi of water forced by our powerful steam fire engines, and they being framed wholly of woo 1, with @ slight covering of slate, or sheet iron, would become an easy prey to the es In case Of Bee iy a acent buliding. Should this ighly ornamental an 'y popular form of root be used tn future on buildings above t e ordinary height, the framework, dormer windows, casings, &c., should be made of fireproof materials, as well as the cornices and coverings thereot. IRON SHUTTERS, Mr. Macgregor alluded to many buildings he con- sidered unsafe, speaking particularly of those on Chareh street, which, not being provided with iron shatters, are liable to danger at any moment; ana he is of opinion that if ever a fire breaks out on an extended scale in this vicinity the city will be deci- mated from Canal street to the Battery and from river to river. THE BOSTON FIRE—A CORRECTION, To Tne EpiTor OF THE HERALD:— In your interesting Boston letter rejative to the great fire, printed in this morning’s HERALD, ap- pears this passage :-— j Passing the stalwart policeman who kept back the crowd at the top of Franblin street I entered the burned district. Here on the right stood the Pilot building, owned by Patrick Donahoo, who pagan, life a poor, unlettered Tish boy, and whoby untiring Industry and perseverance became a& milfionnaire, owning one of the fincst struc. turea in the city. He did not make a cent of his money by selling rum to his countrymen, as many have done. Hils loss cannot be thoroughly estimated. “He hears his misfortune ike thousands of other heavy losers, with equapimity, and will rebuild the publishing store which was naturally enouzh his pride. He was at a press dinner on Smurday at the Revere House while his building was being laid In ashes, Permit me to say that Mr, Donahoe, of the Pilot, did not begin life a “poor, unicttered Irish boy,” as he had been given by his parents a good Eng- lish education, and had been by them early appren- ticed to vhe “art preservative of all arts,” by pa- NEW YUKK HERALD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1872—rkiryLK SHEET. a tient, intelligent and devotion to whic Eat seine etecen ean cok mercial and] s nat fe w! he has so ored- Pilot bui acco was not destrorea wate past midni any and Mr, Dosahoe was not at such an hour at a dfoner at the Revere or other house. Naw Yous, Nov. (2, 1672, NASSAU, POLAR EXPEDITIONS AND ARCTIC EXPLORATIONS. the London Telegraph, Oct. 24.) lorthwest Passa; was discovered by Englishmen. In 1860 McClure and Collinson sailed prc Behring Straits and steered due east tows Melville Sound, There, locked in the ice, they were picked up by Belcher, who had made his way up into the Sound through Greenland Gul! and Baiin's bay. Thus, thes, McUlure and ie CONS AE are the only navigators who have ever accomplishe the Northwest Passage, and who have shown that 1t is possible to set sail from Liverpool, and hoa leaving Greenland on tie right, skirt the great North American Continent, leave Kamchatka on the right again, and cast anchor in tue waters of the Mikado. Great as the discovery 1s, it yot is useless, We have out Suez; wo may soon perform asimilar exploit at Panama. The Central Pacific line binds San Frangisoo te New Yorx; and betore another generation has passod away # continuous road will stretch from iable Bay to the Mozam- bigae Channel, But another problem awatts us, more important by far and more interesting than the discovery of either Northwest or Northeast Channel, We know that North America, with its huge pendant of the Southern Continent; that ‘2and kurope, and—to add yet another conti- nent—Greenland, are but enormous islands; that Behring Straits, the Gulf of Greenland and the open sea between Spitabergen aud Nova Zembla are all in iree communication witn one another. But how about the Pole itseli—how about the mystic space which lies land-locked between these continents? The genoral theory, and one which tacts strongly support, is that towards the North Pole sets a continuous undercurrent of warm sea water, which, rising at the Pole itscif, forms # huge {fee Aretic Sea, surrounded by monstrous icebergs and infinite flocs, while itself is unruilied by winds, untroubled by tempest, teeming with lite and ever open. From its centre the currents set southward, and soon the chill brine is converted into huge masses of ice, which, floating towards the Equator, block up Behring Straits and Baitin’s Bay, and cut oif all access to this noble Arctic Ocean. It is the old story of the Hyperboreans over again. We. have to get well behind the-north wind, and when once behind it we break upon the scene wiich old muctenne aints. We see tie Slory of heaven, the quie' welling where no winds rattle, norain drops; no hall, no snow, no hour frost works its cruel will— but a cloudless sky, unfecked, laughs with wide ood of light. Who is to be the first to break into this silent sea? That it ia there—that it lies in all its open glory under the Polar sky—we kaoow as surely as ‘we know any truth of science. The great warm Gulf Stream 1s ever flowing towards the Pole; itis ever rolling back, converted into huge and hideous blocks and hummocks and bergs, More than this, the process has of late years become more rapid. Greealand is now one vast thrilling region of thick- ribbed ice. The Guli of Greenland used te be navi- ee up to Grinnell Land and Kane's open sea. Now it is blocked with an immense ood of crystal, which comes rolling down, crumpling up before it all that comes in its way, as a railway train would crumple up an egg. Parry—keenest, truest, most chivalrous our Arctic voyagers—did his best to reach the open ocean upon sledges, The ice, with him upon it, travelled faster towards the south than he upon it could make headway towards the north, He found himself, as it were, upon a huge glacial treadmill, The fates were against lum, and he bent his way sadly back. But where one, through no fault of his own, has failed, others can win, and it is certain that this glorious open Northern Sea, where the Whale wallows and the seal and walrus herd, will yet be cut by European keel. Tie Austrians have an expedition at Brosent wiatering in the Nova Zembia Ocean, under Weyprecht and Payer. A Swedish expedition, ruled by Palander and Vor- denksjold, will early next Spring attempt to cut its way northward in light siedges, drawn by fleet reindeer, ‘The Danes are sending exploring par- ties towards the ultima Thule by land over the extreme Polar bounds of waste and barren Green- land; and even the French, amid all their troubles from within and without, propane to wales an Arctic expedition under mbert and Mack, though tor the present it is postponed, owing to some Obstacles which stood in the way. Nor is this all. It is also understood that Prince Bis- marck and Prince Hohenlohe take much interest in these discoveries, and that it is not unlikely that yet another German expedition may be despatched next Spring to follow up the researches already described. f Where is England amid all these expeditions? Ought she not, too, to hold her own Where so great @ problem is to be solved, ought she alone to hold back and to measure the net value of the results of such an undertaking against its net cost? Grant that the discovery of the ie Polar Sea will lead to no real good, will add not @ penny either to our imports or our exports; that the wretched savages who live on the extreme northern fringe of the world’s two huge continents have nothing to offer us for our beads and cutlery save sealskins and walrus ivory, and that, on our part, it is cheaper to procure ivory from Central Africa and sealskins from Alaska than to despatch vessels to the terrible Northern Sea. Even When all this is admitted, the broad question yet remains behind of our national glory and credit. Is Englana to once oyain allow herself to be outstrip) in the race? hile we were debating about Livingstone and about the menace of passing through Unyan- yerabe to Ujiji Mr. Stanley was already on his way. By the time the English expedition had col- lected its forces at Zanzibar the young American ‘was pressing on from Ujiji to the coast, bearing the news for which we had waited for years. Is sucha defeat to happen again to the England of Drake and Frobisher, of Hudson and Baffin, of Ross and Parry, of McClure and Belcher, of Franklin and Osborn? Surely the glory ot discovering this open Northern Sea ought to be our own. Doubtless the matter is not one in which an economical Chancellor can be ex- pected to take any great interest. Mr. Lowe would prorat reply, as he replied when asked to aid the vingstone ‘Search Expedition, that the case is one eminently suited for private enterprise, and to which, so long as it is supported by private funds, all success-‘and prosperity may be wished. But is this the way in which a great country such as our own—the queen of the ocean, the mis- tress of the .seas—ought to measure her duties? In old days emperors kings an nad wider and broader views. The records of the Hackluyt Society teem with narrative after narra- tive of expeditions sent out at the expense of the national exchequer. The outlay of money that such undertakings involve is a mere bagatelie, The Tesults in which they may end, and olten do end, are incalculable. The discoveries of Livingstone and Stanley su; it to us a@ possibility of a great line of rail running due east and west from Col to Comoro, and rendering unnecessary the tedious passage round the Cape. So, too, it would seem that the Nicaragua Canal ought to have been discovered years ago; that, in short, it is the fault of our governments that we know so little as we do of the earth’s surface. ‘I believe,” says Socrates to his pupils in the “Phedo,” “that the earth is very vast, and that we who dwell in the region which rans from the Phasis to the Pil- lars of Hercules along the borders of the sea are just like wnto frogs about a marsh,and inhabit a small portion only; and that many others inhabit like places.” How long are we to fix our desires by the earth which we know? Is it possible that Engiand is to yield up her own plage and to allow the world to be mapped out for her by others? Can it be that we have already forgotten what Mr. Stanley's chief said to his lieutenant when the discovery of Livingstone was at stake? “Draw for £1,000; if that will not do draw for £2,000; if that will not do draw for £3,000." Is England —brake's England— to be outdone by a New York journal? Ought we not at once to send yet another expedition north- ward, with orders not to return until it has broken fare he remote Polar Sea’ Ifever honor obliges itishere. Ifever our national prestige will be lessened it wiil be when another nation, poorer than ourselves, should snatch from us the glory of solving the great mystery o! the North. THE LADIES’ PAIR OF 81, LAWRENGH OHURCH, YORKVILLE. The ladies’ fair on Eighty-fourth street, between Third and Fourth avenues, which has already had @ run of over three weeks, will be continued for another week in the school house attached to the Church of St, Lawrence. The object of the fair is to raise funds for the erection of a@ new church, which, when finishea, will not alone give ample accommodation to the Catholics of Yorkville, but will also contribute, in an architectural way, to the adornment of that portion of the clty. There are many things of interest in the fair. Not- withstanding its somewhat out-of-the-way location it finds its share of patrons and is nightly increas- ing in popularity. In the forthcoming week it is hoped a still better patronage will be extended to it and the means secured to gs a the pur- pose for which the-fair was started. ther Goeck- jen, the pastor, invites all the graduates of St. John’s College to visit the fair and contribute to the object, FIRE IN HENRY STREET. A fire broke out yesterday afternoon on the first floor of the Aweiling 112 Henry street that caused a damage of $200. One of the rear rooms was also damaged to the extent of $300. Samuel Goldman, Who occupied the front room, was insured in the Hamilton Company for 500. Thomas Coleman, the inhabitant of the chamber, was not in- sured, Fire Marshal McSpedon will hold an investi- gation into the cause of the conflagration to-day. aise tae Collapse of the Market, of New York—A Footing ~ of Insecurity Prevalent and Fears for the Stability of Three or Four More Com- panies—A Legal Squabble for the Re~ ceivership of the International— Suspension of More Ont of Town Companics—The Hoff- man Porfectly Solvent. The suspension of the Humboldt and Interna- tional Fire Insurance Companies caused muck concern yesterday for the stability of others, whe make no better showing in their published state. ments, and canards were started at every corner of the streets intersecting lower Broadway, about other companies being on the eve of going inte bankruptcy. The International, at the head of which is Mr. Savage, one o/ the most cautious of presidents in the city, was generally believed to be solvent and ina flourishing condition, yet it suc- cumbed to the astonishment of everybody, and asked fora receiver. An examination of the state- ments put forth by several other companies shows: that they are apparently no better than the International, yet they sull stand the pressure. In yesterday's HERALD the condition of all the city companies, with one exception, appeared in a voluminous compilation made from the officers’ Statements, and yesterday it was subjected to much criticism. Many oficials, while declaring that their ewn losses were correctly put, declared that rival companies bad understated their lossea by from forty to sixty per cent. Mr, Hodges, of the Hoffman, was one of these gentlemen, and he as- signed as his reason ‘for not before giving his losses to the press that he knew some other com- panies were placing their loss at one-half of what they actually sustained, and did not wish to misrepresent as they had done. The report that his company is in a critical condl- tion he most emphatically denied; he placed their loss by the Boston fire at $100,000, und assured the reporter that they can pay it and have a good sur- plus to continue business. He felt very muck aggrieved at the reported suspension of the Hom- Man and declares that, if it is necessary, the om- cers will maxe up any deficiency, even if it be double the present loss. It is to be regretted that he has not sooner placed the facts as to theic condition before the public and thus set at rest the rumored suspension. It is @ mutter of regret that the rumor gained circu- lation, but the directors can blame no one but their President for his obstinacy. In the face of apparently well-founded rumor and the ab- sence Ol any stutement of its condition or any denial of the rumor, the press could not be. ex- ected to declare the company solvent, and Mr, Hodges has doubtless discovered at last that the better way to sct at rest anishepresea eens 13 to candidly point to the figures which show such @ gratitying exhibit for this old and popular spneen le When asked if other suspensions were likely occur, prominent insurance men yesterday gravely shook their heads and responded that they had well-grounded fears tor the ability of three or four other companics to weather the danger that threatens. A great deal depends upon the liberality of tne stock- holders, This was shown immediately after the Chicago fire, where many companies, at first and for many days after supposed to be solvent, went down and were forced out of business. It was sup- posed by the directors of these companies that the Stockholders would at once come forward and make up the impairment by subscription; but many failed, and their companies were driven to the alternative of going into bankruptcy. Such, it is feared, will be the case now with three tat fear. companies who are badly scorched finatcially by the stan. gatagtro phe, Tf the stockholders come to the aid of their Institutions with subscriptions to make up the loss they will doubtless. be able to continue fire underwriting an pay all losses in full. If not, serious embarrass- ment, if not bankruptcy, must result,. Where the surplus is wiped out by the losses, and the capital is 80 much impaired that they have not enough te cover reinsurances, companies must either make good the loss or go under. After such losses ag some companies nave sustained at Boston the stock- holders can but oe themselves by temporary suspension, and it is probable a few will take that course, There was but little change reported yes- terday in the New York companies from that given so fully in yesterday's HERALD. The risks of the Farragut, in Boston, were but $20,000, a3 will be seen by a reference to the card of the company in the advertising columns of the HERALD to-iay By an error in the transposition of lines in yester- day’s report the Commerce, of Albany, is made to have no loss in Boston. It lost $50,000, but has @ Surplus leit of $364,821—ample for all purposes. 1 First Natio! of Worcester, Mass., lost but $50, a teecad of 2,500,000, as at first reported, and wil 5 The Pe 's, of Worcester, has been swamped. It lost $000,000 and had $800,000 assets on 1st of Janu The Narragansett, of Providence, lost ete but is all right, as it had $773,823 agsets on 1st ot hae tr jaion, of Bangor, Me., sustained a loss of $150,000, but is solvent, as its assets on 1st of Sy were $540,785, Tho i State, of Worcester, Mass., has suc- cumbed the pressure and suspended. It lost $250,000; and as it had on ist January $338,662 assets it will likely payin full, ~~ : ane Resa Conn., Insurance Company loses onl The Home, of Columbus, Ohio, loses only $47,500, The Equitable Insurance Company, of Providence, R. I, has stopped taking risks and called a meeting of its stockholders, The total risks of the company in the Boston burned district are $317,000, and the total assets $430,000, The only failure reported yesterday among New York companies is the Market, located at 37 Wall street. On Tuesday the officers declared their ability to go through; LOL hehinde | morning at an informal meeting of the directors they eh fran and a meeting of the stockholders will be held to- day to decide upon what course to pursue in set- tling up the company’s affairs. One of the officers, who was applied to for the assets and liabilitie: stated that they would not be made public un after to-day’s meeting. This company has been exceedingly unfortumate, havin; suspended twice pefove—atter the Troy and Chicago fires, It is poner that Hf will oe # S. opted to @ lar reentage 01 losses, and per hae in fai The hitch in the appointment of a re- ceiver for the International is Meg op in the Brooklyn papers of last evening. It appears that on Monday last Mr. Henry M. by, one of the stockholders of the company, applied to Jud, Pratt for an order dissolving the International In- surance Company, and appointing a tig? Cg account of its heavy losses by the Boston fire. Judge Pratt granted a temporary injunction against the company, and appointed as temporal receiver Mr. John Cammerden, who is a wel known merchant mm _ New York and a partner of Herald Doliner. On Tuesday, after notice of these eS ole had been given fo the company, Jus fancher, of the New York Supreme Court, upon the application of other stockholders, appointed Mr. Jarvis Slade permanent receiver of the company, e Fancher not being aware of the prior pro- ceedings before Judge Pratt. The tempoary injunc- tion granted by Judge Pratt was made returnable- before His Honor and the foilowing counsel ap- peared in the Chambers at eleven o'clock yester- day morning:—Mr. Brown for the insurance com- pany, Mr. Scudder for the stockholders in the ap- lication before Judge Fancher; W. D. Dixon for ir. Slade, H. Borgen in behalf of Mr. Bixby and Henry J. Cullen, Jr., for Mr. Cammerden. The following 1s the report of the proceedings, from which it will be seen that rival factions are fighting for the spoils before the Courts :— Mr. Bergen asked Judge Pratt to make the injunction perpetual, taking the ground that after the appointment bir. Cammerden as temporary receiver he:e, Judge Fancher had no powsr, to step in ‘and appoint a receiver, and that Judge Pratt should now make an order appoint ing Mr, Cammerden or somebody @lse permanent re- Cefn, Scudder, on the other hand, claimed that the order by Judge Fancher appointing Mr. Blade as recelver was yalld and ended the proceedings. He said that the stock- holders almost unanimously approved of Mr. Slade's ap- pointment, and that three-fourths oi the Boston creditors ‘ould also support him. He thought these creditors ont! haye a rc eealion dolees of tid affairs of a ing ion doi oi Reruen urged thar 7: Slade was Tecommented by the directors of an insolvent insur*tce company; that he imeelf was one of the directors and ofie OF the Saapes seme ana ae Caan a Seay ‘come insolvent. . Ci . eee ee ear OO it the Court Te: uired it, Mr. Bergen went on to say that they claimed there was no such Judge as Judge Fancher. It was @ very grave question whether his appointment to the Sa- reine Court bench by the Governor was lexal, and the e Jovernor's power was very much doubted by ar. Indge Pret be you Hse that question ? Mr. Bergen—We de but at all events, whether there isor is not such & Judge, his order is illegal, be- cause there was a recei previously appointed by Your Honor, Mr. Seudder—Do you claim that the company was in- solvent previogs to the Boston fire? ir. Rood en te artes fhe cape 8 (0 does not apply. bg pty took the papers and Test rved decison.” A meetitg of the directors of the New York and Yonkers was held yesterday, when it was unanim- ously resolved to assess for the losses at Bostor and go on insuring as usual, without lessening their capital or assets a dollar, Such promptness on the part of the directors of ail the companies would put all the institutions on a firm foundation and restore confidence in them, FELL DOWN STAIRS, Thomas Donnelly tell down stairs at 323 Bast Twenty-seventh street and died in Bellevue from the effects of the injuries received, ‘The accident Occurred on the 4th inst, Coroner Schirmer wilk hold an inquest on the body,