Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-08-31
Tnn ArfRli on 1H. G.o,s. PAaf-on BAT.

The ARRAY ON THE GIoRsR PAeE.-On Sat
urday afternoon last, as the steamer George Page
was on her way to Washington, conveying the
passengers brought to Alexandria BY the Orange
Railroad, w. III De G. Wright, ESQ a merehant
Of Baltimore, requested Mr.. Hugh Latham to
have the baggage of himself and several Balti-
more travelling companions picked out Of the pile
and placed by ITSELF to save trouble at the termi
nus, rs the boat was too late to make connection
road Mr. Latham made some reply which was
considered by Mr.. Wright to be insulting, i'm
plying that the latter was no gentleman. Mr..
w. Who is upwards of 60 years of age, said "Do
YOU intend to say that am no gentleman 20 or,
lido not say am no gentleman" and at the same
made movement towards Mr.. Latham. Mr.. l..
diately began to pull of his coat, which act was
Interpreted by Mr.. w right and others as an indi-
cation Of an intention to assault Mr.. w.
DR.. l: p Thorn, travelling companion of Mr..
Wright, who was sitting or standing upon a pile
of baggage engaged in pointing out the trunks of
the Baltimoreans, jumped to the deck, and at a
single blow knocked Mr.. Latham down. A Crap
pie then ensued between them, and lust at this
juncture three of Mr.. Latham's omnibus drivers
caught DR.. Thorn by his whiskers and hair of his
head and forced him into a STOPPING position and
began to kick him in the head and face. MIR.
Latham called to the engineer of the boat who
was in his room near by, for a hammer with
which to kill DIR. Thorn. The engineer declined
to furnish the weapon called for by Mr.. L., when
L.
inches in thickness. ten or twelve inches wide
and nearly two feet in length, and struck Dr.
Thorn over the head with it, while he was in the
position before mentioned r....
This occurred in the starboard gangway OF the
boat near the pile Of baggage, or between the pile
of baggage and the cabin partition, with scarce
room for two persons to stand abreast While
this was in progress, another person in the en-
.loy of Mr.. Latham seized Mr.. Wright, threw
him on the deck, opposite the pile Of baggage
near the engineers room. Mr.. Entwisle, the en-
gineer, seeing the man holding Mr. w rinht by
the throat, and in the act of striking him with
his fist as he lay PROSTATE the deck Jumped
from his position al the engine and interfered i'm
time to avert the falling blow. This done Mr.
T. sprang over the pile of baggage, and seized
Mr.. Latham by the arm, as he was about repeat-
Ing the blows upon the head of Dr. Thorn, saving
:" For Gods sake, Latham, don't kill the man -
Mr.. Latham made reply that he would kill him
and any person who attempted to interfere to pre-
vent him. At this juncture, the pilot struck the
signal to back the boat, as she was approaching
the slip OF the dock. Mr. E. was compelled to
leave the parties in this position to attend to his
duties.
None OF the officers of the boat, with the ex-
ception OF MIR. Entwisle, were aware of what was
going on until the boat was going I'm the slip
Captain Price, in coming from the upper deck
first received ntimation of the occurrences by the
chambermaid, who ran up to him, CRYING out,
Captain, there is man in the cabin bleeding to
DEATH" Mr.. Latham was then standing at the
forward gangway with a heavy iron = wrench in
his hand, which Captain Price supposed he had
been using about the wheels Of some of his
coaches. Captain Price Immediately proceeded
to the cabin, and, returning again shortly said 10
ME-. Latham, "Huahey, this must be stopped, |
must and Will protect my passengers, at all haz-
ards, while they are on my boat.n Mr.. L., who
appeared to be laboring under great excitement
replied that he would kill Dr. Thorn if he at
tempted TO pass off the boat Capt. p answered
that he could not do il on the boat neither would
he permit him TO interfere with the egress of the
passengers; he took Mr.. Latham in a persuasive
manner, by the arm, and led him to the gangway
of the slip.
Here his authority over him ceased. and here
Mr.. Latham remained for a considerable space of
time with the iron wrench in his hard, and re-
peating his threat to kill DIR. Thorn il he left the
boat, Notwithstanding the many pcrsuasions of
his friends to come away and permit the passen-
gers to leave the boat. In the meantime MIR
Wright and DIR. Thorn remained in the cabin,
the latter gentleman being almost Scnseless from
the effect of the blows which had been inflicted
upon his head, and bleeding profusely IL was
Judged advisable by themselves and friends TO
return to Alexandria instead of landing at the
wharf. which they did Mr.. Latham returned to
Alexandria by land, and Messrs. Wright and
Thorn by the boat, where surgical assistance
being procured, Dr.. Thom's wounds were pro-
bounced to he too serious to permit of his being
removed to Washington that night. Mr. Wright
however, came up to Washington by land and
met his family at Browns Hotel, whittier they
had gone.
Great excitement prevailed in Alexandria, and
hundreds of persons collected about the hotel 10
discuss the subject; while in Washington the ex-
citement at the wharves and Browns Hotel was
not much less. A party OF Batimoreans about
the hotel, on learning of the affair, armed them
selves and were about to proceed to the boat to
resent upon the officers and crew Of the boat the
outrage on their fellow citizens, being under the
impression that those concerned in the affray were
the men belonging TO the boat. This impressions
however, was removed, and nothing further was
done by them.
DR.. Thorn returned to Washington early on
Yesterday morning, and proceeded with Mr.
w right and family n Raltin1Ore lis mi
are believed to be Of very serious character and
apprehenSiOns felt that the blows about his
head have impaired his reason to some extent
III Is to be hoped that such is not the fact.
In the absence Of the parties II is probable that
no legal investigation will be had Of the occur
renee, but the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
Company, with whom Mr.. L. is connected as a
sub-contractor for the transportation of the mails
anu Passengers from one depot to the other, have
determined to give the matter a strict investiga-
ton, TO remove any impression that they any
person in their immediate employ in any way
participated in the affair. In tue meantime Mr.
Latham has been suspended until after the inyes-
tigation shall have taken place
we have the above particulars fsom eVe-wit-
nesses Of the occurrence, and they are partially
conf med by persons IN Mr.. Latham'S employ
MR.. LATHAMs ACCOUNT OF THE FRAcAs
Below will be found letter, received this
morning. from Mr.. Hugh Latham of Alexandria
In explanation OF the unfortunate fracas which is
the subject Of the foregoing report. We publish
IT, because 1t Is due to Justice in all such cases of
mixed rows, that public opinion should be sns-
pended until a thorough investigation ca n be had
On his arrival in Alexandria Yesterday after
noon, the President OF the Railroad Company
John >. Barbour, Esq. suspended Mr.. L. from
the discharge OF his functions in connection will
the transportation Of the passengers between the
Washington and Alexandria depot, and forthwith
commenced the necessary investigation, which
We know will be eneTgetically ard imparlially
and, so far as the travelling public concerned
satisfactorily carried ont TO the end for in his
hands, that work is in thorough and unfinching
hands
w. ID. Wdlldch, Esq.-Presumng there will
Oe an incorrect account published Of an unfortu-
nate and much TO be regretted affair that occurred
on the steamer George Page last Saturday after
noon, ask small space in the Star for the pur-
pose Of making plain, and as | believe, correct
statement. Whilst was unchecking and mark
lag the baggage gentleman approached HE and
commenced abusing the Railroad Company and
all connected with it, AS a part Of his abuse
was evidently aimed at me, | replied which led
TO rambling IRE of words. Pefceiving that he
was getting excited, | calmly requested him TO
leave me SD that could attend to INV business \