The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-01-14 00:00:00

CATASTROPHE ON THE MISSISSIPPI.

A fearful catastrophe hea occurred in America in the
sinking of the steno ier Nick Wall, in the ltlitiissippi,and
the him of about a hundred !ice.. 1 apprani that the
steamer uas going dowic the Miisiteippi with a full
cargo and coroptement of pammgerß, wheu she mu
upon a "snag," and soon became a total wreck, and
about 100 people perished. 'file accident occurred
about four mire below NVorthon's Point ; and elle of
the omnivore giveß the followinz ace mat of the
eataetropte. He says thtt--
' " "

me time before the vessel was " anar.ged '' the majority
of the passenvre—about thirty—had retired, but eight
r.nitined sitting around the stove, amusing theineeivee, I
wheu they felt /1. Bence shock lie ran out of the }rent
door leading to the holler deck, but immediately alter
getting out everything appeared quiet .d he returried to
hte cabin. Ile then cern/lees I suppose the time that
elapsed from when I left the cabin until I returned was
about two minutes, ehen a crash came, and the hurricane
deck ' caved' in, de,hing barrel:l. waggon., pleughs, and
numerous other articles to the boiler deck, where every-
body had reeheal who could got nut of their stator° ma
I was thrown against the funnel, hut by great exertloas
managed to extricate myself, and commenced climbing
over the boxes .4 barrels. I wars twice pulled back by the
hair, aud In the third attempt I made some one caught me
by tr, feet, ar.d in the struggle to free myself I lost my shoes.
Finally, I managed to extrecate myself and gain the hurri-
cane deck. there I saw no earthly armee of escape, as the ,
piece was crowded, and everyone was seeking something 1
on which to keep himself elioat. The steamer MBA by
this time under water, and nothing remained visible but
Ike pliot-heuee and the hurricane deck, or that portion which
head not given way. I cannot give any adequate description
of the fearful sight which met my eyes at the moment, as my
blood rens cold when I think of it. The wreck was still
O elating down the river, and we did not know what moment
the steanier would elms entirely. Women were re:reaming
for their hurerands end children for their parents. Just as
we thought that all hopes were past we saw the lights of a
steamer coming up the river, and every one that could nom-
rneusecl shouting for awestance. The assistant pito% J•ones
Vandervoorst, lit .me paper. and showe.i it as a alma of
dtsires.. In about fifteen minutee the vessel came close to,
and the proved to he th Serni.ole Wm made fast to the
sinklug steamer, and all that corn all., hot on board of her.
Everythinv T`O • sible was doneby the captain, crew, and paseen-
gem of tine Seminole torenue the dead aed wounded from the
Nick Wall, The ll:earner Bargotwi, on coming down the river
pleased the wreck of the Nick Wall about two hours after the
disaster, and took some of the passengers from the Seminole.
Twenty-See dead let ties were taken out of the caeine and
etat,rooms of the wreck. and a great many others were on
the lower deck, which was completely under water and could
not be reached A gentleman, with his wife, daughter, and
son-in-law, the two lard beteg only married a few days, and
who were on their werUng tour, were found nmong the
dead. About 100 liven are supposed to have perished by this
found calamity "

ALLEGED CRUELTY TO HUNTERS.
The Norton (East Riding) magistrates were engaged
for a considerable time on Saturday last in hearing a
charge instituted by the Royal S ciety for the Peeven•
then of Cruelty to Anintatt, against the Huntsman,
whips, and xecond horseman of Lord Mi idleton's hunt.
for over.r.ding two horses whilst hunting, and canting
their deaths. The affair happened on the :).-d of
December lmet. Toe inforruati tots were laid by
In.oe( her Hayward, of the Royal Society, stationed
at Bradford.

Mr. HArfiN of the Midland Cirviit, prosecuted, in-
structed by Mr. Hayward ; the defendants were not
represented by counsel. The tuagiAra, es ['resent were
Messrs. Taylor, Marshall, Bower, and Lieutenant.
Colonel Haworth-Booth.

Lieut. rant-Colonel Haworth•Booth said that, acting
judicially, he had de-lined to grant the summonses on
what he had heard. Mr. Bower said that having a
great deal to do with the huut Le declined to grant the
summonses, not wi.hing t have anything to do with
the matter. Btth gentlemen declined to sit, and the
gate was heard before Messrs. Taylor and Marshall.

Mr. Harris said the ease came before the society, not
through their officers, but inconsequence of the public having
taken it up. It having been referred to in the newspap: re,
some 1 Vie magistrates of the county had communicated it
to the society, the society than ordered the investigation
which had resulted In the case now before them. It should
be clearly understood that the society in takirg these pro-
reeding!, was endeavouring to suppress an excess, and not to
put down "sport "—and it would h., obvious to every one
that cruel.? in over-riding horses ought toe repressed. The
charge was lald nailer., crion 2 of 12 and 13 Viet , cap. 92,
wh'ch he read, as well as the in, erpretation manse, showing
that over driving' should also apply to over-riding. 11
was stated that Lord Muldletou, had written to say that if
it were proved that these two horses had been over-
ridden, be should be the first to desire to have Lill) men
punished.
Several witnesses described the tired appearance of the
horses on the afternoon in question Peter Hayward, an In-
spector for the 13, oyal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animate, stationed at Bradford, said the defendant Orris had
told him the bard day's work had killed them. Ile said they
had gone more than 50 miles that day.
• • •

John Swarry, veterinary surgeon, said he made a post
mortesn examhatiru of the horses, lie found the organs
perfectly healthy; there was no trace of disease to ace,nt
for death. Ile did not Oink they had been ridden a sufficient
distance to cause their death. 'I bey died from severe cold
and fern starvation. If they had been put into a warm stable
after the men came in with them they would have recovered.
He had said these hones might have died from being over-
ridden.

---
James Broad, fti R.C.V c., a man of 26 years' experi-
ence in the professim and a member of the Council, said
ho could Alive at no other conclusion than that the deaths
of those harms arose from over exertion, which so operated
on the nervous energies of the horses that the vital energies
depending on the nervous energy being brought low through
want of power, in both instances the heart ceased to act, and
death enined. .

A othur Cherry, for soma time veterinary surgeon, at Scot-
land-yard nett for nearly 50 yevre ln the proteseion, believed
this was the clearest meet f aver-riding be ever knew.

Wl,nesses were called for the defence. The first one wae
Me. Albert Parley, who said he was OUL with the Irtinde
the day In question. Ile aid not see the whips over ride or
abuse their horses that day.
- -•

Captain Thomas Stanton Starkey Bald he was ont with the
hounds on the 3rd of December; he saw bout Flatly and
Viocent there lie saw BO cruelty nor over-riding in the case
of those two horses. Nefiher of the horses was distressed
when he saw them near Buathoipe. One of them cantered
up Garraby.tilll before him.
•

On the Clucluston of the evidence, the Bench retired a
&hart time. On returning into court, the chairman said they
had conic to the cam:lesion to dismiss the summons. In
the tint place the case was a !new one, and the evidence was
contradictory. it appeared to the Bench that these
entrants did not knowingly or Intentionally do anything
cruel to the animals under their charge, but that they only
c irried out the instruc,ions of their upper servant and their
muter, to ride to the hounds. pi cruelty were exercised In
this case, every day, every week, in the hunting held, CT unity
WAS exercised, and the society would have to prosecute a
great many persons.
Mr. Harris asked if the case was dismissed on the ground
that lucre was no intention ? Mr. Tailor did net pre a the
word " intention." he put it that if cruelty was exercised
in this case it was exercised almost every day a pack of
h mods met.

Mr. Harris Intimated his intention of applying for a case,
and wished to know particalarly the ground of WarnWel
NI, Taylor said It was this :—They considered there was
not sufficient cruelty shown to incur the penalties of the
Act of Parliament. They did not import the word inten-
tional" into their decision