New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-02
JURIES or MQUEST IN OUR TOWN.

JURIES or INQUEST IN OOR TOWN
In the community Of which We write there are some
notable contradictions or Inconsistencies in regard 20
the extinction Of human life For instance, s,me
wears ago the blsckebed cafcase OF a man found
in the woods rear tovo. When he died and hoT
be died whether by self violence or the hand OF
murderer one knew, bat muliudes went 10 look at
the chastity and sickeniDg sight, and thousand con-
lectures we're started. There a rope sroand the
neck Of the dead men; had be hing himself But Il
SO how happened the body TO be on the ground The
minu,est hin CO were examined such as the boot
marks which would make on the SIDES ofthe little
tee had be been climbing il. Then ], came 70 light
thai yes, had been fond near Oy, as II il had been
hidden, and after a while a pocketbook With some
papers, bat no money. This little Circumstance re-
minded some one Of several men who had passed
through the place some months before, one Of ~hom
bad Just such a pocketbook with q considerable
amount of colo Was this the man whose h'deo1s
corp,e was nov found II go, had his co >nions
murdered him for his money Then some one re-
menbeIed that several mouths before very early one
morning be was passing along the rad by these
woods anc be saw an ngly-ookiog fellow before him
who Seemed excited, and once turned around sudden
" and iercely said, tell you didn't DO il, The
yourg man considered him crazy and thought no more
Of il until the dead body found in the woods
Was he the murderer SO Jealous and sharp were
the authorities that they thus found gu, the name Of
the dead man, the very day no passed through the
town who we're with him, hov much money be had
that he had not been heard Of Since ih Il nme, and
moreover, that he had been murdered. The inquest
held over that poor stranger was an honor 10 tho
place and 20 were the efforts 20 find on, ald punish
the murderes II isirue 10 this Last they Oloi.
but then the efforts and expense laid oct to bring the
wrefctesto justice honorable to the authorities
and the ctzeDs They all said that the lose of life by
foul means was a crime Of such iseness ought to be
punished by the heaviest penalties. The scntiuen.
was Just, and the action consistent.
There was another incident, which We nov re,all,
which sl.o showed The same correct notions Of
the value Of mans life, and the necessity Of
guarding it with extreme care, both from criminal
careessne,s and Malignant violence. One Of the os
tened citizens Of our town ~aS driving on a rosd
which the railroad at place 90 guardei that
DO obe thought OF accidents occurring there. IL vas
place where the ironhorse did not usually slacken
bis speed much, and on this particular occasion the
bOres driven by our citizen, and the locomotive,
met at right angles on the iron track. The one horse
Was killed outright and the other gre atty I'M gred;
but the driver flung thirty or forty feet and his
wagon half that distance. The poor felloS w.s
breathing when they took bin up but the shock had
inteIiered with the brain and back too seriously for
recovery. In few hours be breathsd his last. No
sooner was this fact kno IN, than authorities
moned an inquest 10 ascertain whether this life was
destroy ed with criminal intent criminal careless
the par OF those managing the railroad train.
Witnesses carefully examined, the scene OF the
accident was Inspected by the jury, and ell the facts
brought out under oath. We always think of
this act with great respect, bee it showed INT
estiu ate of the value Of human life and deiernna-
ton To gusrd so valuable thing with the greatest
care ard vigilance.
SO il ought TO be always and everywhere.
But here is train Of facts which seems 10 20 be
entirely contradictory To the tine Characteristic OF
Town, just mentioped-s contradiction for which
can only sccoun. on the sappOsition that the fre-
quercy of the events are nov TO describe has be-
gottn inseD-bDity 10 the essential nature ii those
events interfering With human life. Let rs ex-
tract few incidents which are recorded IN lit;le
book which We keep. In the year lsi9 q dei,h oc-
CURED in the place under the losins circum-
stances: A lsboripg man, whose services we're in
csngtrou, IN ais family that hs wife eft him, taking
her CHILDREN with her. He continued 10 live In d MIR
cradle old ut alone. One Saturday afternoon ne vas
seen losNipg tie town With two boIles. On Sundly
the Ieighbors observed 10 smoke issuing from his
chimney, and supposDg him away from home, felt no
Dtesiress about Il The next day, OF the newt but
one some one wen, 70 ibe cabin snd on opening the
door, vas hOnd,d al seeing the man knoeliDs by
LOIS eSa6le bedste1d, on which we're a fos clothes.
One and grippsd fast ~ the bed p1-t end the
oib,r 10 ibe clothes. Hi eyes were vide open and
slsssy. They say the stare Of those eyes was aEfal
10 look at for the poor was stone dead. 10 the
room were found tso bottle. one of which vas near
u empty, and the other ~ full Bota bottle. con-
tanned fuai. Now here the facts; would II No.
seem 70 have been iast 70 Inquest o. that
booy TO ascertain the facts OF the death as near AZ
possible Ought Dot witnesses 10 have been sum
moned to testify when and where the man was seen
let, vherber drunk or sober where be Ooasht taat
rum who flied The bottles ard II pos. bic, 70 6ad out
Ma, caused lis death 0zgbt they no. - b. ~ taken
that 'un 10 a cbemist 10 ascertain wh-lher /, coz
tanned any other poison than alcohol .One woad
ihii 81 this woold have been done IN our towa.
vbgo such incidents occurred ca o. frst rela;sl
but strange g. cay, II concluded uune ossty -
old any inquest on ths body or to elicit tha fActs
uTeci,d With biz d. ah from Eiinessos under Data
tcs wtoh aould have made tho most ihriIn, Tom I
.treic, oisec.ne ever delivered Ia ccr rsgion-and
,, have had come good ones.
lake another case. Tie iOrsIyios anl con6d.ns ]