The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-06-24
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Trial OF the Michigan COnsParatorss
ApnrTlonAL SWITCHES OF TESTIMONY
ssai,hTFrem the Detroit Advertiser )

of March, and remained there till the second day o
May; went back to jackson, and staid there til
August, my VITA remained at her fathers; Twas al
the Center during that time al most every Sunday
used to COME down on saturday night and stay
over Sunday; used to find defendants congregated
IN fhley's bar saw Fitch. Finley, Corwin, the
Prices, Grant, Dr. MQultoD, Credit, q. D,Wil-
hapst the Ghampns, and others, often there; have
met them in the forenoon and id the evening; some
evenings rsed sit outside the south side of the
housei' the general subject Of conversation was
about the road; sometimes the talking was public;
+ aconvcrsation with Mr:Pitch, in 1880, he told me
what had been donein l8D; he suid the boys placed
distractions upon the track; that the company run
a hand cur ahead; that the boys would seercte
themselves in the bushes, between Delhi and Jack
son, and rush cut andput distractions after the
hand car had passed; he also spoke Of their
puttipg the strop iron between the rails, WHICH
would bring up the cars all standing; he said the
boys had stoned the that he had Away advised
them NOT 70 doit, for fear they should hurt one;
he said that an engineer had been so frightened as
to leave the company, and had gone off; he said to
me, in the latter part Of April that 1t was the only
alternative leftto get remuneration for the cattle
that bad been killed. that Mn. Brooks had sent. in
lSi9, circular which added insult to injury; he
spoke Of the half pay proposition, and said the
people would never submit to such insult and the
only course left for them to take vengeance by
throwing off the, cars, &C.; during the summer, we
had conversations about the railroad; had about
the Gazellc; this was one sunday, when had gone
to SOC my wife; he spoke, and said the locomotive
had got dry and run down into the marsh for water;
that they had no pump aboard, and was forced 70
60 down into the swamp on that account; he said
we knocked it, this time to the tune of some
Sc, 600; the second time ! went there was on the
18th or 10th of August 1850; then lived at my ia
ther-inlaw's; Invent there for the purpose Of fer
reting out the depredators on the road; spent most
of my tinfe at the Centre; Ivisited them in the
night, when no one knew it; used to meet with de-
PENDANTS in the morning, in the. afternoon, and in
the evening; | remained to 18th December last ,
4 q
RarriIt, Credit, Grant, O. ID. Williams, Freeland
the Champlins, aud others, about the railroad be.
ing monopoly, In order to gain their confidence;
stated that had had some difficulty with the rail-
road my seh;. L told Thorn that wood pile had got
on fire near Wayne, and whom the railroad hands
came up to put it out | refused to lot them have
pals; Fillcy called ms one of the boys and treated
US all round; seemed to like this; most of the de-
fendaIts drank that time except w iliams this was
at Fillcy bar 70 I'm, about week after | arrived
there; Fitch was present, audi addressed most of
fitt, think, occurred in september, three or four
weeks after / came; about that time | used to
have many conversations with Fitch, and to GO
to hs house. and drink cherry whiskey, sc. /;
we'woud converse together, and walk about n the
track, and in other places; were very ntimate
in the fore part Of Dece mber, near his house, he
told me he had written TO friend of his in Chicago
to get some two hundred handbills printed warning
people not to travel the railroad, that obstruc
tions were daily placed upon the track, which en-
dangered the hives Of passengers; that in less tn an
two hours after the letter was received at Chicago,
handbils were in the hands of steamboat runners,
and taat Some seven hundred persons were pre-
vented from travelling over the road; he said this
was the only course to be pursued; that if II
followed up tbs. Railroad Company would be forced
to come to terms; he told me that Barritt had q
cow killed, and he had advised him to commence
suit, and asked ine to ride over with him; no said
he never meant to come to trial, but intended to
fuss little, to draw of the attention of the SPIES
nhad hey couIl M
|. operate; he said when the spies were gone they
would have smash up; tn az one smash UP was
werth dozen lawsuits; he said that by having
smash up or two the company wodld begin to think
aft a while th 1t there was God in Israel Mr..
Stuart, prosecu .or's attorney, asked If he meant
brandy smash witness replied no. ] This was be-
fore the trial; went with him. to Lconi, to the
lawsuit, on the 18th or 18th; we went together in
his horse and buggy; on. the way no told me in
similar strain that Jemn would conduct the suit;
he said Twas tho only course to bp pursued, AMI
that ~ iosg as the company pursued the half pay
systcm they must not expect any peace at Michigan
Centre at any rate; he said they were going 10 get
an adjournment, for the purpose Of plaguing tue
road and At Leoni he i?troduccd mo TO Mr.,
pr Moultoh, y. ID. Williams. Barritt. Lemn, and
others, who were present. ] saw Spaulding there;
Iemn conducted The suit as counsel; Mr.. Fitch
said Barritt was poor man, and had lost bis COW,
and that it was infamous in the company TO allow
son, appeared for the company, and was very
anxious to have the suit tried: tho plaintiffs pre-
tended they were waiting for q witness, n7trned
Michael Coy and tho suit was adjourned; the suit
never came to trial, but finally abandoned. as
Rarrift told me subsequently 10 Tolls store; be-
came quite i'll there, aud told Fitch wished
to return; be asked me if i couldn't stand it
to, stay the evening". as there going to be
somo threatened psrformancc there: he advised
me to 60 up stairs and. lay down; | did -
for A short time, but came down and said l.
must return; he said he was sorry, ms he wanted
to Initiate me into the lodge that night: that
he sail hr was
very anxious to initiate. me- no wanted me 10 ask
,Spanlding 10 ietme ride home with him, and said
\ 4 wouidns ride with any railroad man; Fitch then
ofIeredto send some up with his buggy with me-
but said that was too much trouble, but IL he
(Ftch) would ask him, would 60, bu, | vouldnt
|, be guilty of asking any railroad man to do me a
| favor, &c. Spaqllng saw him, and arranged SO
/ that Iroda with him;s When | got in turned my
back towar,a sspauding, aud while we wcrc IN tho
sight OF any one treated ham with great aoone e.;
yode with hAn tOiFillcy'ss~to told Stitch ! thought
|. Specializing ~asmean, that Ne always had his nose
in HEer people buihess, 81; saw Fitch the ncst
day afftf bieakfasf the road asked him what
Was up; he said that they had dare up, and that
/ tbs engineers, Ae,, bad accused him Of putting The
pbstructous on the track he said didn't gctthcre
soon enough; FItas and Invent up TO the culvsrt
Just shevc, and he showed how the timber had bee
placed and that il broke thclamp, worth from 600
TOYS l5H; the rehson'Mhy IAsked Fifth what was
UP, was tetSu.e had heard Of fhe, accident from
/ Hiram. Hay; heard Filley say thai, Lemn came
homo with Fitch and stayed ~ the Centre that
night; AIR. Ftchsaid that aboutthe time the locomo
tive came in contact with the obstruction be hsd Just
returned and gas out Of his buggy and told tho boy
torht vvt HE horse. and he ai,d Some others went
up there, Ind The conductor had used abusive Ian
I gQage, Sc; be ssid thathc had slipped round and
pul on The bfakcs, 50 a. TO eec the lcely when they
pasaed through the CcDtre. q. y. Williams told me
l.eaHe thisg-that Itch put thebrales aud that
went sotne distance bcfoEc they found cut what
the mntter was; had conversation in "A ngust with
fhtch abou, stoainr cars; he said I've had boon
accused by the conductors If standing in tho
doot and throwing stones ~ The cars, but that il
was add lie, a. b. was up stairs l6oGg out Of The
window ut the track whom the stoning occurred;
sQuetmo in JalY )r August | had been travelling,
and onmy rCtutn got Oft ut The Centre; he said he
cav me when got off, u was . lucky thing he lis.
covered me in time 80 know who WIS, tlat n had
taken 10 DC rrilroadspy; that IL no ilnt seen
nr wocld havthadn stone sgidc ofnyhtad, but tlest
be recognized inc a. light trouL .hc window struck
me; in Aagust, 40 persons come 9ut &c Fiteh's
wood shcd, opi of door facing the road IN was
80 dark that could Hot .Iecognise them. They