The New York Herald Newspaper, November 19, 1872, Page 3

ue 2a ee ‘A Great Conflagration at the Atlantic Docks Spread by the Flaming Fragments of a Wooden Grain Elevator. THE LOSS AND INSURANCE. An Immense Warehouse Wrapped in the Splen- dor of Destruction. Six Hundred Thousand Bushels |.’ of Wheat, Oats and Bar- . ley Destroyed. FIGHTING THE FLAMES. The Bravery and Energy of the Brooklyn Fire Department. A ROOF BLOWN UP. Salt Water from the Bay Poured Into the Fiery Furnace by Steamers and Tugboats. aeaeeiaes A Hundred Men Saving the Sugar and Molasses s in One of the Adjoining Buildings. + “BURNING =A HOLE IN THE NIGHT,” Magnificence and Terror of the Startling Scene. SIGHTS AND SENSATIONS. The Fierce Glare Lighting the Bay ” and Harbor for Miles, THE FIRE STAYED. At abou. two o'clock yesterday afternoon three ®uccessive alarms on the church bells were rung in the city of Brooklyn, and a few moments later sev- eral fire-steamers were dashing through the streets atthe top of their speed towards the Atlantic Gocks, where the furies of flame were already at ‘work and menacing fearful havoc with their flery swords and withering breatn. It seemed as if a ®park or burning brand had been blown by the “salt sea breezes” from the desolated district of Boston, after which vhe dread spirits of destruc- tion had leaped up from the blackened ruins to foilow them and had alighted upon the most com- Wustible spot along the shores of tue New York ‘Bay, where THE DEVIL'S DANCE OF THE FLAMES ‘was immediately commenced. From some cause, svhich, as is usual in such cases, is just now un- known, something in the wooden elevator of the stores of Messrs. Woodruff & Robinson, at the cor- mer of Amity street and the water frontage, became agnited and within a quarter of an hour there was @ furious crackling of dry timbers, and the lurid Songues of the delighted demons of the fire darted ™p to the sky and sent a tnrill of wild excitement through the whole city and the downtown portion of New York. Going down Broadway in a stage, ‘when Bowling Green was reached, the whole of the Startling scene burst upon the vision. It was also plainly seen from the ferryboats that were crossing the water to or from Staten Island and Brooklyn. ‘The sky was pleasant, and a stil? breeze was blow- ing from the southeast, which was keen and cold, and made one shiver spasmodically ; but the sight of the red mountain of fire that stood out against the heights of Brooklyn, on which was fought Greene’s stern struggle in the Revolution, warmed every one into a heat of excitement, Soon could be seen throngs of people gathering on the wharves, with white faces lighted and reddened by the lurid flames; then the engines rapidly arriving and taking their positions, the firemen busily running hither and thither and rear- ing Jadders against the burning walls; the streams of water turned upon the flerce furnace, which was now raging; the sirill whistles for fuel from the engines and the bright sparks from their smoke- stacks that filled the air like tiny rockets with their sheeny brilliancy. THB CONFLAGRATION GREW IN MAGNIFICENCE as it grew in danger, and the multitude of spec- tators that formed a dense mass around the fmmense building gradually fell back with in- voluntary terror as the heat became more and more intense, ‘The lessons of Chicago and Boston are not calculated to cause disasters of this kind in their beginnings to be looked upon lightly, and but for a determined and wise ourse in battling with the fire yesterday the whole of the district of warehouses near the Atlantic Basin might be in flames at this moment. The smoke rolled in black, heavy volumes upward toward the zenith, the blazing roar of tne tremen- ous bins of grain could be heard across the waves, and the dull sounds of falling floors and timbers Fose above all other noises and smote the ear with 8 melancholy signifivance. At half-past fuur a great shower of burning cin- ders was hurled np from the middle of the building dike a torrent of lavafrom the red-mouthed crater Of a Vesuvius, As the afternoon verged into the twilight and iter the parting rays of the sun that were reflected in roseate tints in the west had faded, the glow of the fire colored the clouds that hung on the horizon with rich hues that mounted upward redder and more intense, as if the whole Of the occidental sky were bathed in a stream of Dlood, The harbor was lighted by the wonsual beacon, that seemed to Lespeak some terrible and @nusnal danger to all mariners approaching the ry spot that “burned a hole in the nignt’ to avarn them away. The jagged columns of smoke that seemed to support the dark sky were faintly colored with the red skeen of the flames, and loug after sundown the scene was beautiful and fasci- wating, although so terribly suggestive, As midnight approached the scene of the con- Magration still presenicd a picture of red, leaping Mames, dark, lowering clouds of smoke, and the firemen Were stiilat work, although it was fuily ander their control, Whe Beginning and Progress of the Fire, The fire, early in the afternoon, when it first burst out af the northern end of the immense block of store houses used by Messrs, Woodrnil & Robinsou, raged at a furious rate, the piles of grain that were lying in the cievator burning with fear- fal rapidity. Within @ quarter of an hour it com- manicated to te interior of the store itself, The grain wich was here stored amounted to about #ix hundred thousaud buslels, It was oats, wheat and bariey, andi its vaine alone was probably more Ahan half a million of dollars, ¥ THR RAVER VORACITY OF THE FLAMES Dow scemed without bouNds and With Jyrious | Mi NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1872—TRIPLE SHEET, hunger ‘thelr nov vongues 1ickea the fron shutters of the windows and they warped like rubber, broke from their hi and fell, with a loud clang, to the avement. thin thé fire ran from pile to pile of the grain until the whole of the vast floors of the main building were burning. The heat, which from this kind Related ype most intense, grew greater and greater, and about half-past four the surround- ing structures, even where a street intervened be- tween them and the fire, became so hot that it ‘was necessary to turn to prevent their catching the fam: shed extends along Amity street, oppose the burned bi » On its roof and along its southern side were gathered groups of people, and between it and the storehouse persons were standing on the piles of lumber and brick which lay on the wharf, soon became a torture to con- treated and two hose were turned upon the build- ing the water, on coming in contact with the wood, sees evaporated and rose up in white clouds of 8 ALONG THE WHARVES in front of the stores of Woodruff & Robinson three steamers were early stationed to pump water upon the fire from the , and four tugboats lying in the slips set their es at work and threw poor streams through the windows, which had en wrenched open by the firemen of the hook and ladder companies. Along Amity street two steamers were employed and stretched across the roofs of the lower buildings tothe rear of the burning storehouse. Steamer No. 5 stood at the foot of Pacific street and No. 12 at the corner of Columbia, and the hose of both extended a distance of near two blocks, They drew their water from the city faucets, ON CONGRESS engines Nos. 1 and 2 were stationed, art from this point the labors of the firemen co viewed with advantage as the wind blew the heated air toward the northwest. Ladders were planted on the low roofs of the warehouses in the rear of the largest one which was burning, and from these other ladders reached to the top of the which face on the river and on Amity street. On Columbia street there is @ pork-packing establishment, to keep the flames from which the utmost efforts were used. An iron window on the south side of the large storehouse Was broken open, and through it a f rong stream was poured. The roof upon which the fifemei Yorked covered an Jomense store of sugar and molasses, which, fromi the commencement of the fire, were continually being removed by thé labors of about one hundr men, nA er roof near Amity street another detachment of firemen poured two streams into the Names, At about ‘Ubree o'clock AN EXPLOSION of the heated air and es confined in the top floor of the blazing building occurred, and hurted the roof in a thousand fragments into the air, and some of latter struck and injured three of the firg- men, who were trying with hooks nd axes to cut apertures in the metal, through which they might fight the fire with greater success. They were, however, able to leave the buildings without aid, and the conflagration shortly afterward was appa.- ently more fully under control, a8 five streams at once were poured from the top upon the furnace of fire, that was now bounded by THE FOUR NAKED WALLS, Still at every moment tke. aanyer of its spreading would seem imminent, and later an incident oc- curred which caused suddenly augmented alarm. The heavy brick wall against which the elevator had stood, on the north side, and where the lames were flercest, FELL OVER WITH A GREAT CRASH, and after it slid several thousand bushels of grain, the greater part of which went into the water and sunk hissing and hot to the bottom. Some, how- ever, was arrested by the string-piece of the wharf and remained piled up in a huge mass under the black and ruined débris of the fallen wall. The steamtugs John Fuller and Seneca crawled up over the mud inthe slipon this side and hose were attached to their donkey pumps and used with great success, Along the water front engines Nos. 8, 6, 3, 11 and 9 played'upon the hot walls and through the win- dows, and at five o’clock there were employed on this side no loss than nine streams pouring upon the flames, four of which were supplied by the Bteamboats at the docks, eee a The Confidgratio®— At Its Height. At this time the greatest volume of fire was in warchouse “P,’” where the flames were first dis. covered. This faces the river and extends along Amity street, The flames gradually extended to warehouse “J,” adjoining, the interior of which was soon a great burning mass, The iron shutters of both buildings were forced open and the flames burst through the windows and shot upwards to the roof. Four steady streams were directed at the burning build- ings from the wharf, where five engines were lo- cated, Dave McConnell had charge of No. 5’s stream—the strongest—which shot up with power- ful force over the edge of the roof and fell on the flames within, Both of the burning buildings were of brick, four stories in height, and covered an area of 130x200 feet. Adjoining warehouse ‘J"’ and on the Congress street corner is a three story story brick warehouse, both Owned and occupied by Messrs. Woodruf & Robinson. The building was STORED WITH SUGAR, which the men began to remove to the street as soon as the fire began to spread. It was feared at one time that this structure would also be de- stroyed, but owing to the strenuous exertions of the firemen the flames were confined to ware- houses “P" and “J.* Directly in the rear of this corner warchouse, whichis known as warehouse “A, and on Congress street, Chief Engineer Nevins and Commissioner Brown were stationed for a while. Ascction of firemen were ordered to the place, and ascending to the roof of some low brick buildings connected with the warehouse they were enabled to pour several strong streams on the buildings just in the rear of the fire, These were Bates’ pork packing establishment, which extends from Columbia street back towards the river to warehouse “P.”” When the walls of warehouse “P”” on the Amity street side fell in with ‘¢ A TREMENDOUS CRASH the wharf in the immediate vicinity was a scene of great excitement, Then it was reported among the immense crowds of people assembled on Colum- bia street that several firemen had been buried be- neath the ruins, This proved to be false, but several firemen had a narrow escape from injury, They saw the walls beginning to topple, and hastily retreated towards tne wharf, but before they reached there the thunder oi the falling mass deafened them, and the flame that darted from the ruins increased the lurid glare that lit up the streets aud harbor for a great distance around, The firemen bravely returned to their work, and an increased yolume of water was poured on the burning mass. ‘The steamtugs 8. E. Babcock, John Faller, Ida L. Tebo and the bohed boat Seneca came alongside the wharf, and added to the streams now pouring inéo the burning buildings from the river side. by this time the interior of warehouse “P” was pretty well burned out, and the flames began to decrease there a little, but warehouse “J” was then compietely enveloped, ‘The firemen had long since seen that it would be IMPOSSIBLE TO SAVE ANYTHING ofeither of the structures, and their great effort now was to prevent a further spreading of the fire. ‘This, it has been stated, they succeeded in doing. fos had the wind against them in their work. A fresh breeze irom the river fanned the flame and carried it over towards the buildings facing on Columbia street, but there a band of trusty men were working to repel its prog- ress, Miilions of sparks flew about in the air and settled in street and housetop in the vi- On Columbia street, opposite the fire, there wel ‘ows of rotten and rickety tenements, the occupants of which were terrified lest they should be burned out of house and home. The sparks that fell upon the roots, however, were promptly extin- guished by men who had RALLIED TO PRESERVE THE PROPERTY, and the spread of the fire was thereby averted. The streets about the of the conflagration at this time were jammed by the motiey crowds of people who inhabit that filthy locality and hun- dreds of others who had come from all parts of the city. There was a strong police force present, under the command of the veteran inspector, John S. Folk, and Captain Ferry, of the butier street station house, who kept clear working room for the firemen. Mayor Powell and County Judge Moore lingered about the fire for a short time and then departed. ‘The horses were Immediately detached from the fire apparatus upon ‘their arrival, carefully blanketed, and then led up and down the street by their keepers. Mr. Arthur Quinn, who has charge of the horses of the department, was onthe ground and directed his attention to the care of the animals. The most of the horses of the department were sufferers by the recent horse epi- demic, and some of them have not yet recovered, and great care has to be exercised in their treat- ment. The reporter met Mr. Franklin Woodruf, one of the proprietors of the stores, who was then wit- nessing the destruction of the property. He stated that all they owned in the burning buildings was the machinery, which he valued at about $50,000. It was Insured for nearly its full value in New York and Brooklyn companies. No Boston companies are involved. The buildings “P” and “I? were owned by Mr, William Beard and were insured for about $80,000, They contained at the time the fire broke out several hundred thousand bushels of grain belonging to diferent parties, little or none of which was saved, MR. WOODRUFF estimated the value of the grain at about forty thousand dollars, It was probably insured when it was put in bond. Mr. Woodruff said that the firm owned the three story warehouse (‘«A") on the corner of Congress street and the wharf, and val- ned at $40,000, Neither the building nor its con- tents were injured, Most of the contents were removed in anticipation that that building would also be burned. The firm had in their employ 100 men, At the time the ti engaged in unloa.ing the ship Artist, MR. BEAKD'S INSURANCES, Williaa Beard, the ower of warehouse “P” e broke out the men Were | and “J,” which were completely destroyed, stated that his loss would be about $180,000, The property was insured as follows:—lireman’s Insurance Company, $12,500; Merchants’, $12,500; Nassau, 10,000; ‘Phoenix, $10,000; Autha, of Hartford, 10,000; Sterling, $10,000 and another company, the name of which he did not then recollect. The total amount of insurance is about $80,000, leaving @ clear loss of $100,000, The Origin of the Fire. Fire Marshal Keady was present and proceeded to make an investigation as to the origin of the fire, He found Michael Early, an employé on the premises, who stated that about two o’clock he saw a fire on the third story of warehouse “P,” at which time the oi) which was used for the fy wheels was burning on the floor. The wood work was also burning. No fire was used on that floor. Karly immediately ran and informed the foreman, Thomas Foley, of the fire. There was no one smoking in that part of the building, for there was no one there but himsel!, and he does not smoke at all. The machinery was running and he was oiling it at the time, THE FOREMAN’S STORY. Thomas Foley, the foreman, made this state- ment:—‘The fire commenced on the third floor, under the main shafting. My attention bein; called to it by one of the workmen, I ran down an threw a pail of water on it, but it had got too much headway, and I could not put it out. The belting took fire, and I then gave a general alarm among the men. The flames spread very rapidly, there being a great drait in the stairway, where we oiled the machinery. I cannot tell what caused the fire, We had a gas light there, but it was prprpoted by a piece of tin, ‘That is all 1 know about it,” Scenes and Incidents. The | Department, under Chief Enginer Nevins, was managed admirably. There were eleven steamers at work, one of which—No. 12, Foreman John Kelly—was summoned from the Eastern district, The horses made the run from the engine house corner of North Ninth and Second #prects to the fire, a distance of over four miles, in thirfy mfnutes,” ‘The Chief's Assistant, John Smith, of the Eastern district, was also on hand. A CASUALTY. A case of personal injury occurred early in the course of the excitement which is of a deplorable nature, Terence Corrigan, of 98 Amity street, an employ¢ of Woodruff & Robinson, while endeavor- ing to escape from the burning building, fell trom a third story window and received a fracture of a thigh. He was erg te yhe Long Island £9) Hospital by a policé dnicer. A eee ‘THE RUINS LAST NIGHT. . ‘The flames were completely under control by nightfall and gradually began to decrease. By ten o’clock last night nothing remained of the two buildings but a portion of the walls and a smoul- dering, smoking mass within. Immense crowds of people lingered about the vic! night, commenting upon the property. A portion of the firemen retired about eight o’clock, but several streams of water were kept playing on the ruins all night. A sufficient guard of police was also re- tained to protect the property which had been re- moved from warehouse “A” and other premises 1n the vicinity from the gangs of thieves who always pee about the ruins ol a great fire. The tug- oats, Which had rendered valuable assistance to the firemen, retired alter the labor of extinguish- ing the flames had been accomplished; the thun- der and rattle of the steam engines, which almost deafened the bystanders during the progress of the conflagration, suddenly decreaged into what was a murmur when spmapared with the crash of the pre- vious six hours, and the wearied firemen departed from the place, leaving a faithful few of their num- ber to guard against a renewal of the Names, PROGRESS OF THE BLOWING UP SCHEME, Mr. W! iam. E. Dodge, chairman of the meeting held in the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce on the ith instant, appointed the following named gentlemen yesterday as a committee authorized at that time to take measures for the establishment of a Board of Engincers, with legal powers to take possession of and blow up buildings, during a gen- eral conflagration George T, Hope, Continental Fire Insurance Com- pany, ‘ James M. Halsted, American Fire Insurance Com- any. James M, McLean, Citizens’ Fire Jnsurance Com- pany. Francis 8S. Lathrop, Union Mutual Fire and Ma- rine Insurance Company. Rk. Garrigue, Germania Fire Insurance Company. Alfred Pell, Jr., Liverpool, London and Globe Fire Insurance Company. Henry A. Oakley, Howard Fire Insurance Com- pany. ‘A. B. McDonald, Roya! Fire Insurance Company. Carlisle Norwood, Lorillard Fire Insurance Com- any. Thomas F, Jeremiah, Pacific Insurance Company. THE WEATHER. WAR Rapin OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER, WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov. 19—1 A. M. Synopsis Jor the Past Twenty-four Hours. The barometer continues high onthe Gulf and South Atlantic, and with generally clear weather and northerly to westerly winds from the Lower Lakes to the coasts of New England and the Middle. States; light variable southwesterly to north- westerly winds and partly cloudy weather, witn heavy snow on Eastern Lake Erie; in the North- west and on the Upper Lakes and thence to the Ohio Valley cloudy weather, southerly winds yeer- ing to northwesterly to Dakota. Probabilities. For the Northwest, the Upper Lakes and thence to the Ohio River, winds veering to northwesterly, with partly clouly but clearing cold weather; in the Gulf and South Atlantic States westerly to northerly winds and clear weather; on the Lower Lakes westerly winds, diminishing pressure and clearing weather; in New England and New York southwesterly veering to northwesterly winds and partly cloudy weather, with possibly occasional light snow in the western portion; in the Middle States south of New York, southwesterly winds and cloudy weather in the afternoon, The Weather in This City Yesterday. The following record will show the changes in the temperature for the past twenty-four hours in comparison with the corresponding. day of last year, as indicated by the thermometer at Hudnut’s Pharmacy, HERALD Building :— 1871. 1872. 1871, 1872, 41 5 , ature yesterday Average temperature for cort Jast year. PIGEON SHOOTING, Reereaeet veneeenealy Splendid Matches Yesterday at East New York=—The Jerome Versus the Long Island Gun Clubs—Colonel Hatch Beats Mr. Ireby by 36 to 30—The Second Con- test Between Messrs. De Forrest and Jaffray. Several gentlemen of the Jerome and Long Island Gun clubs spent a very pleasant day at Dexter's—Hiram Woodruff’s old place—near East New York, yesterday, witnessing the pigeon shooting match between Mr. Ireby, of the Jerome Club, and Colonel Sam Hatch, of New Orleans, The match was for fifty single birds, for $100 aside, with 11402, shot, Mr. Ireby giving the Colonel seven yards; or, in other words, while Colonel Hatch was shooting at 18 yards, Mr. Ireby was shooting at25. Both gentlemen did some good shooting. Colonel Hatch, being favored with very easy incoming birds, took a decided lead at the start, and kept it, so that when 46 birds had been shot at he had a clean lead of 6 birds, when Mr, Ireby resigned, The following is THE SCORE. John FE. Ireby—Twenty-five yards—1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1,1, 1,1, 0, 1, 0, +1; 1,1, 1,01, 1; 01, 1, 4, 1, 0,1, '1,’00 Killed ‘20, 116, Colonel Hatch—Righteen yards—1, 1, 9,1, 1,1, 1, 1, 1, 1,1, 1, 1,0, 0, 1,1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1) 1, 1, 1, 130,111; 6, 6, 1,'1, 1, f 6 4, 0,1. Kiheu ‘36, missed 10, Umpire for Mr. bi Ape 8, St Umpire for Colone! Hatch—W, 8. Parks. Referee—B. L. De Forrest, Alter the above match Mr. Jaffray and Mr. De Forrest entered into a match for $100 aside, at 25 single birds, 80 yards boundary, with 1}; 02. shot, each using Poceeie guns—that is to say, guns that neither had previously shot with. In that Mr. Jaf- tvay Was not at home, and was beaten by a score of 16 0 12 out of 20, The following is NB BCORE, B. L. De Porrest—I, 1, 6, 1, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1,1, 1,1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0—Killed 16, missed 4. H. 8. Jattray—o, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0,1, 1,1, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0—Killed 12, missed 8, Umpire for DeForrest—W. S. Parks. Umpire for Jaffray—Mr. Polhemus. Referee—Colonel 5. Hatch, 0,1, Traps and Triggers at Tronton. TRENTON, Nov. 18, 1872. There was a splendid pigeon shooting match here on Quintin's track to-day, between Mr, Spittle, of Philadeiphia, and Mr. Holt, of Trenton, The match Was for $200 aside, cach to shoot at 21 single birds, ‘The weather was good, there was a considerable crowd of spectators present and a rood deat of bet- | Ving carricd on, Molt billed 18 aud Spittie 17 birds, Tragical Termination of a Divorce Suit—Another Man Shot Dead on the Stairs. Judge Sutherland’s Last Ref- erence Case. a eehees James C. King, Lawyer and De- fendant, Pistols His Wife’s Witness, A. F. O'Neill. eatthenchaemenrettaaet “LYNCH HIM! LYNCH HIM!” History of a Tragical Divorce Suit—Antecedents and Character of the Murderer and Murdered Man—Scene of the Dreadful Occurrence— Blood Among the Bankers and Brok- ers—A Boy Witness—Judge Suth- erland’s Account of the Mur- der and What Led To It, Anthony F, O'Neill was shot dead at half-past two o'clock yesterday afternoon, on the stairway of the building No. 42 Pine street, in this city, by James C, King. All the facts and circumstances at present known go to prove that a more cold- blooded, foul and dastardly murder was never com- Mitted even in this city, where the coolest and most atrocious murders have come to be considered aimost every day gecurrences, THE MURDERER in this case, James C. King, is a lawyer, residing (ashe stated) at 148 East Seventeenth street, in this city. He is about thirty years ofage and came here some years ago from California, He married an amiable and accomplished lady in San Francisco, whose beauty is still something to wonder at; but soon after the marriage, it is stated, his vicious habits and still more vicious temper brought trou- ble and diMiculty and al! manner of unpleasantness between him and the partner of his bosom, There were brawls without end and scenes of crimination and recrimination between them in public, while the abuse and ill-treatment which she received in private at the hands of her “natural protector” are characterized as atrocious in the extreme. Some years since they removed to this city, he bringing with him a CHARACTER AND RECORD OF antecedents which no good citizen could envy. It is known that his wife was not the only victim of his bad temper and evil disposition, He was quarrelsome to an unbearable degree with every- body who was unfortunate enough to have any- thing to do with him, and he never hesitated to resort to the use of the knife or the pistol for the ad- justment of his never-ending ‘misunderstandings.”” He has been even known to boast of his exploits in this direction, and it ts recollected that his boasts are justified to the extent of at least shooting one man dead {n the Sandwich Islands, and getting into | durance vile for an attemps on the life of another | in San Francisco, whence he soon afterwards found it healthy to emigrate. Such is his general charac- ter, as related yesterday by those of his: acquaint- ances who visited the SCENE OF THE TRAGEDY and the New strect police station, where the mur- dered man and his murderer were both conveyed. One respeciable-looking gentleman, who did not reminiscences of King to Inspector Walling at the station house, was admitted to the cell of the prisoner “‘to see if it was the same man” he had been telling of. He soon returned, saying, “Yes, sir, that’s the man exactly.” After King and his wife had removed to this city their wedded life became no more pleasant than before; in fact, their miseries had greatly in- creased. He treated her to every conceivable de- scription of contumely and cruelty, and adminia- tered all sorts of punishment, from neglect and starvation to the most brutal and cowardly species of personal violence. This THE UNFORTUNATE WOMAN bore with, until it at last became positively unbear- able; so, im the long run, she had a suit for di- vorce instituted, on the ground of cruel and inhu- man treatment, The case was handed over to Judge Josiah Suth- erland (City Judge elect) as referee, and it has been on hearing before him for tie past few days at his chambers in the building 42 Pine street. One of the scenes of the alieged shee and inhuman treatment” is @ house owned by King, at Turner's Station, on the Erie Railroad, and others are differ- ent places on the line of t ‘ame road, Among the principal witnesses for the plaintiff in the case (Mrs. King) were Mr. Authony F, O'Neill, at one time a detective and recently a freight master ou the Erie road, and his wife, both of whom, it seems, had frequently witnessed the most brutal assaults perpetrated by King on the persou of his beautiful | wife, Their EVIDENCE BEFORE THE REFEREE was conclusive and damning, and upon it Judge Sutherland, it was supposed, had decided to grant the divorce songht. 1 may here be stated that King had for along time pretended that an iin- proper intimacy which he supposed to have loug existed between Mr. O'Neill and Mrs, King was one of the grounds on which he tried to justify his unmanly conduct; but the testimony of Mr. and ae O'Neill and Others completely exploded that idea. About half-past two o'clock yesterday the hear ing of the case was concluded in Judge Suther- jand’s chambers, and the parties concerned and the witnesses took their departure, O'Neill was stepping slowly down the second flight of stairs, with both hands in his pockets, as if searching for his gloves, when a pistol shot was fired behind him, The bal: entered his back, a few inches to the left of the spinal chord and little above the leit hip. THE WOUNDED MAN turned hurriedly around, just in time to behold King Lege at the top of the stair landing with a pistol in his hand, and again levelled at the victim. The miscreant fired a second tiie, but missed his aim, the bullet entering and imbedding itself in the wall, The wounded man had advanced two steps toward his assailant when THE VILLAIN FIRED AGAIN and then ran back through the hall and up the next flight of stairs, The last bullet struck O'Neill on the right lapel of the overcoat he wore, and passed through it in a downward and slanting di- rection, and through the corresponding portions of his inside coat, vest, shirt and undershirt, and en- tered his body about two inches to the right of the medial ling, plainly pursuing its course directly to his heart. The unfortunate victim of this atrocious pe notwithstanding bis reception of two such frightful wounds, and though by no means a man of great physical strength or powerful vitality, succeeded in reaching the top of the stairway, where his murderer had stood, and rushed into room No, §, on the same landing, occupied by Mr. Quick as one of his law chambers. Here the wounded man dropped into a chair, his eyes start- ing from their sockets, his face as pale as marbie, and his wild stare directed towards the door. After a hard struggle he got out the words, ‘TAM SHOT ;"” but failed to utter another syllable distinctly. In a tew moments he fell heavily on the floor, where he lay about twenty minutes, at the end o! which he breathed his last. As soon as life was decidedly extinct @ stretcher was procured by the police and the corpse was carried to the First precinct police station, in New street. After the firing, as has been said, King rushed up stairs to the third floor and entered the chambers of Judge Sutherland, to whom he handed a medium sized Smith & Wesson revolver, three barrels of which had been discharged, The dreadful state of consternation into which this proceeding threw the venerable Judge, after he had heard the firing on the stairs, may well be imagined. King then entered another room and locked the door after him on the inside, Meaiitime a messenger boy, about fifteen years of age, employed in Judge Sutherland's office, had been coming fp thé lower fight of stairs, which he had reached just in time TO WITNESS THE FIRING of the third shot, He promptly ran back and into the street, where he met Oficer McGibney, to whom he hurriedly related the terrible occurrence he had witnessed. The officer at once accom- panied the boy and proceeded up stairs to the apartment of Judge Sutherland, who pointed to the door which the murderer had entered. At this the officer knocked, but received no answer. Then he burst in the door and found King alone inside, who surrendered without a word or another re- sisting movement, The officer then conveyed his prisoner down stairs, passing the door in which the murdered man was at that moment expiring. When they reached the street door they encount- | ered A TERRIFIC SCENR. The street along the entire length of the block every stage of excitement, who had already heard of the murder and were familiar with its dastardl; nature. A few moments before the officer hi come down with his prisoner the crowd had some- how conceived the idea that they had already come out, and a rush was made towards the spot where the wretch was su pposed to be walking, but fortu- em § the alarm proved to be a false one, for the cry of “Lynch him, lynch him,” had passed from mouth to mouth, at first inaldw tone and alter- wards in an open roar. The cry, however, was still kept up, and such expressions as “Is hanging layed out in New York !” “Is this to be another insanity dodge?’ “Will we wait for another jury to ree?” &c,, might be plainly heard in every direction. This state of excitement was at its height when Officer McGibney and his prisoner reached the front stoop. THES INTELLIGENT POLICEMAN comprehended tne whole danger at a glance, and, with marvellous adroitness, managed to pass through a portion of the crowd with his com- panion, witheut exciting any suspicion as to who they were. They succeeded in reaching the New atreet station heuse, by a roundabout route, un- molested. When the officer first latd hands on King the lat- ter appeared quite cool and nonchalant in his man- ner and continued so during his hasty trip down stairs; but when he reached the frout stoop and saw the threatening faces of that terrible and angry crowd—none of whom happened, fortu- nately, to reco gpixe him—his face turned Ilvid, his limbs trembled and his whole frame shook vio- lently. When he had safely passed through the door of the station house, however, his coolness re- turned and he assumed an air of UNCONCERN THAT WAS SHOCKING to those who knew the dreadful position he occu- pied, He walked through the panange way into the large back room leading towards the cells with the air of a man who pliied the capturing oMcer for being compelled to go through the dis- agreeable labor of aresting persons like him to no purpose. He was elegantly dressed in an ex- pensive light-colored overcoat, turned down with silk to match, underneath which was @ rich suit of broadcloth, A heavy gold watch guard crossed his vest, ‘and he trited a fancy qelcaneaieg cane in @ decidedly foppish manner. He is a slightly. built man, of medium size, with a pale, delicate face and hair and beard of a light reddish color. It may be here stated that he was known for some years a8 @ wealthy broker in Broad street, and Was once a law partner in the firm to which Edwin James belonged when that notorious and not too rateful Englishman was a member of the New ‘ork bar. hen King answered the few formal questions asked of him at the station and stated that his address was 140 Kast Seventeenth street, in this city (though, it may be remarked, the Di: rectory fails 4o corroborate that statement) he walked lejsurely, still TWIRLING IIS ELEGANT CANE, through the long back room towards the cells, nodding pleasantly by the way to one or two sons Whom he beileved to be personal acquain' ances, and disappeared finally, with as airy a grace as ifhe were the president of some charitable society on a merciful visit to an erring and un. fortunate prisoner. Indeed, somebody remarked that his whole dress and appearance betokened those of & man who had that morning prepared to distinguish himself and got himself up specially for the Oveasion. Another bystander thought le recognized the prisoner as a Lephew of Mr. Hunt, of Hunt's Merchants’ Magazine, The prisoner, King, had searcely pisappeaned within the corridor leading to the cells when the station house was surrounded by almost the same crowd that had gathered at the scene of the tragedy a few moments before. It had followed the squad of policemen who came along BEARING THE DEAD BODY of the murdered man on @ stretcher trom Pine street to the station house. The stretcher was laid with its burden in the corridor, in rear of the large back room of the station, within alew yards of the cell where the murderer was locked up, A white sheet covered the body, and when it was re- moved there appeared the rigid features of a de. cate-looking man about thirty-five years of age, with short, fair hair, close cropped full | dota pimilar color and sharply chigelled AGU ‘Khe body appeared to be that of a very respéctable man, similar to that worn by the prisoner, and coat and vest of blue diagonal, white shirt, with heavy gold studs, and white swanskin undershirt. em al] were plainly visible THE TRACK OF THR BULLET and the shirts were stained with the blood that had spurted through the black and somewhat jagged hole in the man’s breast. - Around the outside door of the station, and block- ing up New street completely, the crowd continued to swell, rendering approach most dificult to the successful few and impossible to many. Angry and Lom nlnge ole | expressions were frecly used, und the police found it necessary to take the strictest precautions to guard against the adinigsion of vio- lently disposed persons into the station house, | thus rendering access no easy task to reporters and others who wanted admission on their legiti- | mate and proper business. Notwithstanding all this, the inside of the station was filled with quite | a large gatnering, mainiy of brokers and mer- give his name, and who had been thus relating his | chants doing business in the neighborhood, many of whom knew both or either of the parties, and freely told each other all they knew about them, As soon as every group of two or three would pass into the narrow space where the body lay, view the rigid features of the dead and pass out again, they would at once open a quiet discussion on THR COLD-BLOODED ATROCITY of the murder and the probability of due punish- ment following, and then speculate as to what people were “going to do about it.” The informal verdict rendered by every one of these little volun- teer juries was that we may possibly have a trial aiter severai months with a plea of insapit, fication and self-defence; then a disagret the jury; then another trial after a few years, and will hear no more about it, for “hanging is played out in New York.” Returning to the scene of the tragedy at 42 Pine street the reporter still founda large crowd in front thereof, with a lawyer anda policeman on the stoop to prevent anybody from entering the building. Brushing past their mighty weaknesses the HERALD man rushed up the stairs, casting a passing glance at THE BULLET HOLE IN THE WALL, and entered room No, 8, the office of Mr. where the murdered man dicd. Mr. Qui standing behind the railing, looking slightly ex- cited, and so paralyzed from the shock that he felt himself unequal to giving any detailed account of the occurrence. IN JUDGE SUTHERLAND’S CHAMBERS on the third foor a number of gentlemen were red round atabie, but they aiso were in too @ slate of consternation to render them- es intelligible as to what happened during, be fore or after the commission of the murder, Judge Sutheriand vanished from the premises as soon as he could recover his scattered sens 1 Mrs, Annie T, King, the plaintiff in the to-t case and “the primal, fatal cause of all” was seen to enter a carriage immediately after the shooting and drive rapidly away, Heaven knows where. ‘The | only cool-headed looking personage on the premi- |, to spend the Summer at Long Branch, after wh: ses was the bright-faced boy who alone saw the shooting, and him the reporter was proceeding to “interview”? when a peliceman entered, told the boy he was wanted and marched him of, The Fatal Testimony, Late last evening a HERALD reporter calicd on Sutherland at his residence, 386 Lexington avenue, to learn the particulars which gave origin to the lamentable shooting case, which Judge Sutherland gave as follows, condensing in his nai rative the whole evidence in connection with it:— “Mr, King,” the Judge said, “ was a mun of ap- parently about thirty years of age, and dressed yes- terday as richly and neatly a& any influential per- sonage or millionnaire could wish to have been. He Was evidently @ MAN OF CULTURE AND REFINEMENT, but he (Judge Sutherland) could not much for his moral and religious training if he were to draw due inferences from the evidence given against him from time to time. On the 6th of September last a deposition was made to him by his (King’s) wife, with an order of references atthe same time, Subsequently, on or about the 12th of October, another deposition was ae his wife againin the Supreme Court, in whic SHE CLAIMED THE CUSTODY OF NBR CHILDREN, on the grounds that her husband, Mr. King, had been dealing foully with her during the past four or five years, and that he was nota Mee ate wer for her children, The counsel for Mrs. King was Mr. Francis Dupignac and for Mr. King Messrs, Brown, Hall & Vanderpoel. The testimony given on the occasion was by the housekeeper, the sub- stance of which ran as follows:—Mr, King was married about five or six years; he had three children; his temper she (th rvant) had known to be disagreeable, venomous and dangerous. He and his wife had eventually disagreed; the wife then brought an action of limited divorce against say a8 him; he then also brought a similar action against | her, which came before the bench of the Supreme Court, and now Mrs. King claimed in the present action the custody of her children. In the applica- tion made yesterday before Judge Sutherlan B TRSTIMONY IN REFERENCE TO THIS CLAIM, taken from the nousekeeper also at the same time (about two weeks ago), proved that Mr, King and his wife had lived, about four years ago. in the Clarendon Hotel; that they went thence to Europe, where they lived in a state of discord, and finally returned to America, and wi a ch they went to Turner's Station, in Orange county where most likely they had made the acquaintance of Mr. O'Neill. After cae | ‘Turner's Station they took @ house at 16 West lorty-fifth street, New York. While resident in Forty-fifth stree the temper of Mr. King was noticeably Violent. The housekee) rapher, Mr. Warburton, remembered on occasion that he threw a dish and a giass succ sively at his wire, cutting her forehead so severe y that the necessity of sending for a physician was indispensable, yhile in Europe also HE THREW A JRWEL CASK AT HER, cutting her then, also, near the temple, and causing a severe wound, She also mentioned sev- eral other instances of ill-treatment—to wit, lat he had been criminally intimate with the louse- maid, in which statement she was corroborated by the evidence of the coachman, All further e dence yas postponed until yesterday, when Mr, O'Nes appeared at his (Jadge Sutherland's) office, No. 42 Pine street, to give further testimony was Glicd by @ glosely packed crowd of men ja | A84inet Kung, Lhe cave opeped at about one It was neatly dressed in a light overcoat | Through | r (according to the report of the stenog- | one ; 3 eat) o'clock P.M. There were present Mrs. King and two other ladies, Mr. King, Mr, O'Neill and himsel! (Judge Sutherland). O'NEILL'S TESTIMONY. Mr. O'Neill was a very handsome looking man, moderately tall and of gentlemanly deportment. He was dressed very neat and gave his testi- mony like a man of per education and refine- ment, All that he said im his Somitaines again: King went to prove the immoral, irreligtous ai Vicious character of the latter—a circumstance which, no doubt, might have been instrumental im inciting King to revenge, although, while the evi- dence was being taken, he never spowed any symp- toms of uneasiness to indicate the accomplishment of the vicious act he was probably contempl: He sat at his (Judge Sutherland’s) left hand in tha office at one end of the table, while the other parties mentioned above sat at the other end. Afters the conclusion of the evidence all stood up and left the office; King followed a little behind. After their leaving a minute . tele Jeaving or two he (Judge Suther. THREE PISTOL SHOTS IN 8U and on his rising to wan the wh see what was the matter hi met King walking in rapidly (not running, a8 nad hand, beew reperted), holding a revolver in. hi Which he presented to Judge Sutherland, ANSy ‘Judge, you can have this.’ The Judge took tha pistol, left King in the ofice and went immediate! to call a policeman. When he returned King hi left the office, had entered the ad, joining room and locked the door on himself, which the policemam finally burst open, and took the alleged culprit im custody, He (Judge Sutherland) thought thera was something serious at the bottom of all. Om being asked by the reporter if there was anything in the evidence which indicated King’s jealousy with O'Neill, he said there was not a single fact to show anything of the kind, after which the reporter bade His Honor good night and leit him to the en-, Joyment of his dreams. FIRE AND WATER. Correspondence Between General Shaler and Civil Engineer Craver to Water Supply for Fires—The City > "ois Not Sufficient in Emergency—No wifficulty in Get- ting a Supply from, the Ocean, Why, The following corresponden* ‘between General Shaler, of the Fire Departmen\, and A, W. Craven, Civil Engineer, throws some light on several of tha questions that have been occupying public atten¢ ton since the occurrence of the Boston fire:— SHALER TO ENGINEER CRAVEN. ew Youk, Dec. 30, 1871. q., Civil Engineer, &c. — ‘kent extraordinary, conflagration int ago has excited a doubt in the thinds of many ec ng asto whether we are prepared for an emergency that may threaten equal devastation in our midst. And the questions ure often asked Mas out Vire Department GENERAL the ‘extra material on hand for its uset and, Is ou! Water supply suilicient for such inérgency ‘The first question depends upon the a, and is easily answe: 1 r supply is suficient wa have mate: n ton fail us, we have not. The second difficult to answer, because it Is dependent up: y of elroumstances, Should an unusually severe season ireexe up ue hydrants, which is likely to ocenr in some portions of the elty, of a very dry season reduce the supply in the | Tedgrvoirs, or the street pipes prove too smail Ww supply Suficlent number of steamers (which is oceasionally demonstrated in the operations of our department, and # fire get under a spreading he y, with a high wind, remote from the rivers, the © nces would probably be serfous, and we would realiz fact that we have, r supply for ali emergencies, ; science develops vomething as a substitute for exe Hinguishing tyes we must depend upon water shon ave un inexhaustible supp » ani Winter the Legis: Iv. Last lature made provision tor increasing the supply of Croton, but Hat og: uot much “help our case, since na change'in the supply pipes or the fire hydrants wad coutemplated, Ono gt our steamers discharges from twa hundred fe four hundred gallons of water per minute, A fire that would reuire the services of clght steamers tg ubdie ft would, therefore, consume 2400 gallond | per minnie, | or 4,400,000 yallons per. hour, whieh {Is greatly “beyond the capacity” of our’ supply, pipes in” some portions of the to furnisti.! there are muny sections of the in wh. afull supply trom contiguous hydrants could not be ob: tained tor ‘four steamers. Now what is the remedy? Shall we furnish new water pipes and hydrants of grentor city and inercase the Croton supply t oF shall the ocean wate cl '* here ALY ing dim- would itcost t Would a he Batiery, with one or more aux- ver bank up town, supply y supply pipes? Wotld it ein ity case to have all the + With such a system obtained to enable ud nes’ Would such a syse : wines On ci mains and the nee practicable and de inning and supply. pipes connected conld a suftictcnt herd of wat | todispense with steam fixe en tem be posith i timais kno ft this great metre MU consider Uns practicabi the plan s ted, With reference mot only to meeting | the ordinary and extraordinary demands for tive pure poses, bui also for santiary pw nh a supply ed only by the capacity” of ous Sationary engines, the streets could. freque washed and the gu aud sewers always Ke) pene th Hithes tof azhout the city would pechaps prove remuneratives y upon thisinatier at your lenive, and oblige your ALEX thereby 4 establisht be greatly appreeia Please give hu earliest conve ENGINEER CRAVEN'S REPLY, No. 38 BRoapway, } ‘oRK, March 20, 1 1 mibers the ressony and ‘ing to at To must beg New Dean Sia—1 have the pli ceipt of your letier of sth D or my great olay | you xplaiu al snother ti Your inquiri and I trust you will be ab tion to the p you make mands, Tagree with. y | We are not prepared | geney as the expe interesting characte attract that public att which their importance ( ‘ou most fully in the opinion tha incet successitilly sueh an em nother cities hay shown to be hot an impossibility in our own, The aggregate quantity of water usedin the extinguishinent of fires during the (with its Constunption in all other wayd fs is generally supposed, and throughout the n pr in subduing a fire i the greatest poss possible time. Thisis out ary te have attree © a e quintity in the shortest question in the present the water through the ci e pipes are too small to yield the rapid and | copious supply which, even in cases "of frequent occurs rence, would enable your force to sa¥e Vast quantities of ry now unavoidably destroyed, anc still more de {thé demands of a cone | give no’ task ry i The sui) quan tity of water required ita xiven time cannot be afforded, | whether the supply comes trom the Cro.on River or frou | the rivers whieh suzround its, so long ay the pipes for Itt | distribution r they nuware. [tw sa to inake sive cathe ni disty. bution itirely independ fact that for all of that fo | ent pipes are suih moderate expe nanew system of In view Present o7 and fair demay ent of fires, tbe made so. at a compara and in view of other reasond h would naturally coine wp onthe fali examination }, Your questions pointing to the utilization of ucrounding us are entitled t ration and thought. We 1" way. Pumping eng capable of delivering # | from ine inexhaustible source ibe arranged of which could be conne fromeach other as cinergencies At ov near the highest poinis in these districts towers might be erected to sustain tanks of such constraction and at such i fo enable vou to dispense with steain fro sand by their aid to maxe ‘A system positively reliable.” Whether all or any. of the present hydrants should be retained as « matter of | extreme precaution in case of un emerge t now deemed possible, after the completion ot new work, isa question which would naturally come with other de tails in the © eatigation of the subjec ) It is tor yourselt io show to What ex: the cost of ; maintaining your Department would be reduced by such a system, but without going Into @ close caleulation L shoald think that the reduction would be nearly, if not quite, equal to the int he amount necessary to construct the ks. But even it the red ion were hot to prove ¢ the full interest the ammount of | property saved wid make the question ¢ . ts, iL or any ted with or of interest one 0 e Without discussing here the tency ig the salt water for flushing and ing streets (in regard to which would be confiicting | opinions), its copious distribution could undoubtediy he tnade available for other | sanitary purposes, sto ering the present system of piyes and 1ooNing to n Ri ints the Crot ver for aremedy, there are several poi to Fed. To the cost of such an alteration as ld be necessary temporary dera’ and the greater ti ‘) c must also be recollecte . even With this alteration, and with an unlimited supply of Croton water, it 19 brought into the cily at such a level that stationary | pumping engines and powers would sil be necessary to | insure the eficicucy of the other plan. All these Hons, however, properly belong to tie general inves On. tien “a ion should be made at an early day ore our municipal authorities, our and our eltizens generaily, seems to That such inves tig: and the results laid li ¢ Inquiry would be a trifle compared with ite value and its possiile results, Trusting that you will be able to attract the attention to the questons you have raised which 1# due to their ex- treme importauce, and that public attention will speedily grow into public aetiom, I rematn, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. W. CRAVER, Civil Engineer. ‘To General Ansxannen Suaren. BOSTON FIRE ALARM, New Your, Nov. 14, 1872, struction of ao large an ar) » in the © if ‘of Boston recently inakes this waken public iiterest iu the | property by fl | a favorable op plan we disctiseed last Winter fur furnishing New York th an abi ply of sea water for fire and san- ry T fully ‘realize that your time is much cpl it you have no inclination to be con- ; &pictious in an effort to convince the public (whieh is always a capriciots audience) that it is to their interest & general, comprehensive and thor- to at once adopt ouchly efficient plan by’ which large contlagra: t can be ‘avoided. But your familiarity with the subject and "your professional _reputa- tion compel me to ask” and insist for the | Feed of the public, you devote at the carties eable moment sufficient tine to matur sted Inst | Winter, and submit it without dela: one of two things should be done. ply should be in service by increasi doubling the number aud size DIY of sea Water obtained. Since ouf correspondence Upon the latter plan much has been sald and written, and always in its favor. T believe, theresore, that a well-mus | tured plan subiniticd @ eto the public Wrewsh the Chamber of Commerce of other intelligent and responsis | biet with general favor, mind A am satisfied that Hither the Oroton sup le more available for fre pes, and fire hydrants, oF a sup= | Win | consultation: ow sais su yy at any time x y f yicet. Very respeetinlly you eh CDANDHI SRL