The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-05-20
The Arrest and Liberation of John w. Sey-
m0ur-AnOther Chapter the Affairs Of
the Vermont Central Railroad.

From the Boston Mail May 1871
The fact is generally known that on the fourth
ofMay meeting ofthe stockholders Of the Vermont
Central Railroad was held at Mortified, VT. and
that it largely attended, at least by the Boston
stockholders, who placed faith in the remarkable
revelations of Mr.. Seymour, who had been employed
as clerk in the Boston Office Of this company, and
whose expose statements in Cochituate Hall Boston,
may be termed an epoch in railway history, which
has, in connection with strong corroborative facts
knocked the stock of this corporation down 50 per
share, and has been followed by the arrest Of Mr..
Seymour, for the apparent object of preventing his
attendance at the meeting in Northheld; added to
this is the suspicious burning Of the Mortified
depot, in which many valuable vouchers were de-
sroyed, with 50 600 in cash. but the booksand other
testimonials needed in an investigation of the af-
fairs Of the company. were fortunately saved. Had
Mr. Seymour been present at the meeting, many
astounding facts relative to the vast exaggerations
the earnings Of this road would probably have
been brought to light.
The circumstances of Mr.. Seymour's arrest and
subsequent liberation, make a chapter in railroad
fnessing and inancieripg that should be told for
the benefit of the :" Bbndholders," stockholders,
and Others interested in this stupcndous work Of in
ternal improvement. Cd
at o'clock, P. NJ. The directors were also there;
and on the following morning Mr.. s. left for Mont
peer to spend the day, intending to return in the
evening with the Montpelier stockholders, to attend
the meeting, but arrested in Montpelier, at the
suit Of n. w. Lincoln, Gov. Paines head clerk for
libel. damages being claimed in the of BIO, 900.
Mr.. Seymour tried to get bail, and among others he
applied to James r. Langdon, but failed to. OBJ
tain the necessary suretics.
Sheriff Brown, who arrested him, returned 10
Mortified, from whence he had accompanied Mr..
5. in the cars, avoiding an arrest at that place,
where Mr.. $. could have got bail among the
Boston stockholders. and left his prisoner in charge
Of Deputy Holden Putnam. Mr.. Seymour being
determined to attend the meeting at Mortified, on
the evening Of 4th, if possible, offered to go to
Mortified in custody. and pay the Dsputy's ex-
i h,nh thA - ne NJ
| Putnam; but he subsequently declined, having been
ordered by Sheriff Brown not to go with him.
During the afternoon of the 18th, Geo w. Col
lamer Esq, brother OF the POSTMASTER General,
having heard of the arrest of Mr.. Seymour, called
upon him, having rode eight miles that day for the
purpose of bailing him. Mr.. Collamer offered him
self as bail, and then the officer said it use,
as he had two other wrts in his hat, and fourth
i was being made out. These were all served upon
him, viz writ at the suit of Charles Paine pre-
sdent), damages laid at $4,000; another at the
suit Of James II. LaDgdon DIRECTORY, damages
claimed for $40 000 and another at the suit of John
| II. Peck DIRECTORY, damages also 10000. When
these cards had been played it, became evident
that there was conspiracy to keep Seymour from
the meeting, that the Montpelier folks desisted from
all idea OF bailing him, thinking that the Boston
directors would also pile suits against him.
This was the more obvious, because the sheriff left
Mortified to go to Montpelier in the cars with
Seymour, to arrest him there; according Gas he
afterwards said) TO the instructions received from
Mr.. G. o. Whitmore, Boston director Mr. james
r. Langdon also rode up in the same train. from
Mortified to Montpelier, and knew of the intended
arrest, having caused writ to be made out on his
own account, but made mention Of the crcum-
stance to Seymour, whom, it is said, he had pro-
missed in the month of March last to support in
bringing the affairs of the company to light, and
whom Seymour had, under these circumstances, a
right to rely upon; and therefore asked him to be.
come bail, as he knew no one else in Mortified
Mr. Seymour took the precaution OF obtaining
stock in the road before he left Boston, to insure his
being heard at the meeting in Mortified and had
he been arrested at Mortified, he could have OBJ
tanned bail, and, being stakeholder, could demand
to be heard. The directors probably knew this, anc
felt that there was only one way to prevent his at
tendance, viz to arrest him in Montpelier, using
Lincoln as a cat's-paw; and if Seymour failed t.
get bail, as they undoubtedly presumed he would
the other writs would not have been served; but
as Seymour succeeded in finding friends where
none were to be expected, the reserved fire
was ordered, and the object of keeping hin
away from the meeting finally accomplished
He was closely confined for five days, and
allowed the. limits of Montpelier four days
mor, Esq, Of Barre, (backcd, it is believed, by
many gentlemen of Montpelier,) his bonds amount
ing to the round of SAC, 600, receiving for his
security an indemnity bond for 10000, which was
headed by Robert g. Shaw, Esq, of Boston, and
contained the names Of Messrs. Clark s. Willis
brokers. b. j Muzzey and others. These combined
Efforts 70 Keep down poor clerk, and prevent hi:
attendanceupon q meeting Of the stockholders of a
railroad company, held for the avowed purpose Of
investigating his statements concerning the Affairs
Of the road, betokens fear of what he could d
yuge that Indicates no slight offence, and, taken il
connection WIN inc extraordinary coincidence o.
the "incendiary" fire and partial destruction o.
| vouchers and books, is worthy Of the candid and
considerable thought the community.
i