Litchfield enquirer., 1843-04-20
Messrs peford, Elford, Morris, Hahn and

!
An hour or so after this constable came
to the door of the House with magistrates
warrant for McGowan's arrest, on the
charge of assault and battery, with intent
to kill" There was no power to execute
the warrant on Mr.. MCGOWAN while ne was
in the House !; but at the suggestion OF some
of his friends, he came out and surrendered
| himself, when he was taken before Justlce
| SNYDER and bound over in $1,000 for his APP
pearance to answer on the charge laid IN
| the warrant.
Mordecai Cook, Jr., the man who lately
shot Melzar Gardner, was arrested immedi-
ately after the fatal occurrence, examined,
and fully acquitted. The populace were so
enraged that they assembled in large num-
bers, and went from Portsmouth to Norfolk,
where they paraded the streets with music
and banners, on which various notices
were Inscribed, one of which was something
like this: Melzar Gardner, Esq, the poor
mans friend. He was murdered in defend
ing the poor mans rights J" The process
sion marched to the house of ONeill, who
was supposed to have instigated Cook to use
personal violence upon Mr.. Gardner; but
he had anticipated an attack, and left the
place. Mr.. 0. is a wealthy citizen OF Nor
folk. From his residence they repaired to
| red from violence by the information that a
lady Law at the point of death in the house.
They then marched to the offices of several
officers of the place, and demanded that
Cook should be again arrested, and tried oy
jury. The military were called out, out
the excited populace could not be induced to
dispense till Cook was arrested and safely
lodged in jail. Some new facts have been
elicted, and it is supposed he will be tried.
We gather these facts from private let
ter, which says the public mind in that
neighborhood has not been so much excited
for long time. Cook is of wealthy fami-
ly, and it is not probable that he will be
punished. What an improper, unjust infu-
ence is welded by money in America:
THE FELL DEsrRoYER.-An incident &C.
Cured in the neighborhood of our office
few days ago, which reads more impressive
lecture on the hrutalizing effects of intoxica-
ting fluids than Pollard himself could deliv-
er. In small brick tenement dwelt, or
rather existed, lone and solitary couple,
husband and wife) without any visible
means of support, yet giving themselves up
to intemperance, as ifdrinking were the sole
end and aim of their being. It was on Sat-
urday night that a physician was called in
great haste to this abode of wretchedness.-
His visit was brief; it was to ascertain
spark of life that could by his skill be made
to re-animate the wife, who lay a corpse on
the bed she had just committed suicide -
The story of her death was told by the besot-
ted husband. He had tumblcd down upon
the bed early in the evening overcome by
liquor, and fell asleep. About o'clock he
woke up, and the first object that presented
itself to his view, was his wife suspended
from the top of the bed post by a cord round
her neck. He rose from the bed, and, with
as much haste as one in his condition could
exert, cut the cord, laid her on the bed and
went for the doctor. The wretched woman
had not drawn a sober breath for three
weeks and the reaction of so much excite
! had produced what 10 oo.,.na only Cullcu inc
horrors" a state in which existence is insup-
portable-and she had committed suicide by
hanging herself. They were English peo-
pie, who had seen better days, and moved in
respectable society. The husband had fol-
lowed the sea as ship master, but heavy
misfortunes, which he had not the moral
stamina to bear up against, overwhelmed
him be abandoned himself to the bottle,
and his hapless wife became his partner for
wo, as she had been for weal.-NoJoM Her.
AwFuL!-As the cars were tracing the bend
of the Read half mile below Manchester,
on Saturday of last week, and moving rapid
ly upon wet and smooth track, just ahead
appeared man fallen upon the track, with
his head little over the rail, his RICH: arm
extended carelessly beyond his head and
across the rail, with his legs little drawn
up, as though he had fallen asleep in a fit
when Instantly the Engineer reversed the
steam, applied all the checks of the breaks,
to save the unfortunate tippler but all effort
to stop the cars was unavailing-over his
neck and arm passed the sharp-cutting
wheels, and all was over in moment, as the
Engineer exclaimed, % God! he is killed !
Two rods from where the body lay, the cars
were stopped, and the Conductor swiftly pas
sed through the cars, Fastening to the scene
Of the fatal accident. The passengers all
took the alarm and followed in his steps,
The rush was great, and the excitement was
still greater. The ladies were quite over
come, and the gentlemen were hardly able
! to approach the mangled and headless body.
When within six feet of il, the Conductor
who was foremost, thought he saw the vitals
all laid bare, and the head in the hat on the
outside Of the rail. He paused, felt dizzy,
and turned his head from it. Others were
equally affected. The firemen rushed by at
this moment and attempted to raise the bodv
from the rolls, and found it astonishingly
! light; a moments examination told them it
was well counterfeited man, placed there
by some unprincipled rogue, for no other rea-
son than that it was the first day Of April.
We are assured that no language can tru-
ly describe the feelings and excitement of