The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-08-01
Arrest Of the Captain of the Montreal.

! QUEhEC, UuI), H.
On demand of the counsel for the survi-
yors, Captain Rudolph on the steamer Mon
treal was arrested to-day, and imprisoned to
await the finding Of the jury, which it is ex-
, pected will be delivered tomorrow or Thurs
day.
1t is in clear evidence that the burning of
the Montreal, and the terrible consequences
which fol owed, was the result of the most
criminal carelesseness, incfliciency and cow
ardIce, on the part of the officers of the
boat.
In the first place, there was no sufficient
guard against fire. There was exposed wood
! work in dangerous proximity to the boilers
But this fact would not, perhaps, have subject
ed the Captain to a criminal prosecution
For it was shown that, in this particular,
his vessel was not unlike many others of even
higher reputation than the Mont: cal. In
deed, there is reason to fear that not one
steamboat in ten is properly guarded against
fire. And 1t is daily miracle that they es-
cape the consequences Of this criminal neglect
IN their construction
In the next place Captain Rudolph exhib-
tied the most shameful stupidity after the fire
was discovered. lie seemed wholly untitled
for the emergency. He knew neither what to
do h,mself nor what to direct others to do.
And, like all stupid men, he had not the grace
to adopt the suggestions Of Others wiser than
himself This was fatally illustrated in his
neglect to comply with a suggestion, when
| the fire was first discovered to be unnanage-
able, to run the boat on shore. At that mo-
ment, sand beach was accessible and it
could have been reached before the flames
had driven any single one Of the passengers
into the water. But the suggestion was dis
regarded. The course of the vessel was con
tinued as when the fire was discovered, until
opposite rocky coast and its course was
only changed when the flames had driven
hundreds of the unfortunate creatures on to
the bulwaikS or into the water /; and even
then the wheel was deserted and the vessel
left to herself The result was, that she struck
upon rock at the worst point Of bad range
of coast, where the water was deep, and
where more than two hundred and fifty per-
ished.
But Capt. Rudolph was as brutal and cow
ardly as he was stupid. He did literally
nothing to help the women and children by
whom he was surrounded and was momenta-
| rally driven into the flames or water His
refusal TO run his vessel on shore at the point
| first suggested, might have been overlooked
as an error of judgment. The point ultimate
| ly selected might have been attributed to IN
discretion or fatality. But his Infamous in
difference to the fate of his passengers-his
proven, neglect to raise finger to aid them
that fact that not even chair or table or
| plank or door was thrown over to tie stIug-
Cling sufferers by his direction-that to Sc
cure safe standing place for himself, he for
| ced women into the water by crushing their
fingers to compel them to loosen their hold
that he seized fer his own use, the only life
preserver on the boat-that he deliberately
| looked on and saw women and children sink
into their watery graves, until clear spot
was made for him to leap into the water him.
self, without running the risk Of being Crap
pied by those he thus saw sinking these and a
hundr other facts equally revolving, which
were brought to light by the thorough and
sitting inquest, render his arrest proper, and
will, if sustained on trial, justly the punish
ment however such trial might result here)
surely awaits him there.-.4@dny Ere. Jour-
ndl