The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-09-02
PRICE ONE CENT.

copy from the Washington g States the subjoine
account Of the recent affray on, board the Georg,
Page, a steamer running between Alexandria ant
Washington, in connection with the Orange and
Alexandria Railroad. Mr.. Hugh Latham has pub
lished statement in regard to the difficulty, In
which he says the first blow was given by DR.
Thorn. ~
W. IL. DeCcurcy Wright, gentleman IS years
DID, and merchant of Baltimore, with his family
were among the passengers. Mr.. Wright, whose
courtesy to every one was noted on the boat pre-
yious to the affray, made inquiries for Mr. Latham
and on his being pointed ont asked the latter gen.
tleman to select the baggage Of himself and party
and have It put In one pile to avoid difficulty after.
wards The reply OF Mr.. latham was considered
by Mr. Wright to b, very abrupt Further worty
passages ensued when MIR. L. said he knew how To
treat gentlemen when he met with them or words
to that effect. Mr.. Wright said, ssDou't say am
no gentleman, or : do you say am no gentle
man! al the same time making some gesture or
movement, as If TO resent the implied insult
Latham Immediately commenced taking off his
coat, using words indicating an intention of as
sanlting MIR. W. DIR. j. p. ThoTn. formerly sur.
geon in the navy, and a travelling companion OF
Mr.. Wright and family, seated or standing upon y
pie Of baggage, jumped upon the deck and struck
Latham blow which fioored him. Latham arose
other blows followed. and the parties grappled. =
Three Of Lethams drivers came up aud seized
Thom by the hair and whskers forced him to /.
the face and head Latham called to the engineer
tor a hsmmer. which the engineer declined to fur.
nish when tue former seized piece Of oak plank
about two lushes thick, eight to ten inches wide,
and about eighteen inches long, striking Thom on
the back OF the head one or more tremendous
blows. as he was held in stopping position
" bile this was going on another one of Lath.
am men threw Mr. Wright upon the deck on the
other sidee the pile OF baggage and with his hand
on his throat. was in the act OF striking him, when
Ar. Entwisle, the engineer, forced him to dssist-
Ar. Il. then sprang over the baggage, seized Lath-
am arm rs he was in the act of dealing another
blow on the head Of Thorn. and said, For God's
sake Hughey, don't kill the man. Latham re-
piled, 81 will Kill him, and anybody that iyteY.
feres for him." At this moment the pilot's bell
struck the signal to sback water,' and Mr f. wa.
compelled to leave the parties in the above des
cribed positions.
While this was transpiring, Captain Price was a,
his station on the upper deck experimenting tn,
landing OF the boat, and knew nothing of what wa.
going on below When the boat was secured
Captain Price came below, and saw Latham stand
ing at the gangway with heavy iron S-wrencb n
his hand, and supposed Z. had been turning the nu
of an omnibus wheel At this moment the chan,
hermaid ran mp, and said Captain, man ia bleed
ing to death in the cabin !" This was the first in
tnlation that the captain, or any of his officers
except the engineer had of the difficulty.
On returning from the saloon, Captain Price an
preached Latham, who was still standing where ht
left him, armed as before and said -Hughey thi,
must be stopped. must and will protect my pas
sengers. Latham replied '.Tl kill him (mealiinp
DR.. Thom.) or he shall kill me before he leaves thu
boat" The captain took him persuasively hy III,
| arm, and leading him to the gangway of the ship
| said. You cannot do it on the boat" Latham re
| piled that he should respect Captain P.s authority
but. standing on the ship, repeated his threat o
| killing Thom. His drivers, Observation-Disclosures
| who assisted him on the poat--and Others use,
| every means in their power to dissuade him from
| his intentions but their efforts were Ineffective
In the meantime the families of Messrs Wriqb
and Fhom. together with the other passengess Ief
/ the boat nnmoested but it was deemed adyisabI
| by themselves and others, that these gentlemel
| should return on the boat to Alexandria in orde
| to avoid further bloodshed. which would ccrtainl
have ensued if another demonstration had bee
| made-these gentlemen and their friends havin
| been placed i'll possession of revolyers LathaI
| waited at the slip for nearly an hour the captai
| having detained the boat beyond the usual time
! hoping that Latham would leave; but, as r last n
sort, gave orders to cast off. Latham returned
| Alexandria by land. .E.=-ss -a.
| Arriving at Alexandria, DIR. Thorn, aceomp panic
| by Mr.. Wright, went to sshotel, where surgical /.
| tendance was procured. The surgeon announce
| that it would be dangerous to remove him to Was
| iDgton that night. Mr.. Wright returned to Vas
| ington by land, and DR.. Thorn was brought up G
Sunday morning.
| In the absence of legal investigation of this .
fair, this officers of the railroad held meeting upc
the subject to-day. when will be set before the pu
lie their views of the occurrence: and in the nea
time Mr.. Latham has been requested to act 1
proxy until some conclusion shall have be,
| drawn. .-rs- A
The situation of DR.. Thorn is considered critics
and it is feared that internal injury to Il
brain has been the result of the blows and kicl
Inflicted. 5.t