New-York daily tribune., 1858-09-16
Newalprk DAILY Gribn,ae
THE QUARANTINE TROUBLES.
INVESTIGATION BEFORE THE AUTHORi-
TIES OF RICHMOND COUNTY.

TIES OF RICHMOND COUNTY.
AT 10 o'clock yesterday morning the proceedings
were commenced before Judge Metcaie OF Richmond
County in the investigation Of the recent ourages IN
the destruction OF the Quarantine buildings Tomp-
kins Lyceur where the investigation takes place, was
well filed BY Staten Islanders many Of whom were
active participants in the crime. OF the defendants,
Raw Tompkns and John c. Thompson, only the latter
was present the former being absent al the Syracuse
Convention, to which body he was elected Delegate
A teegraphic dispatch was forwarded to him by his
counsel and il is expected that he will BE- present at
the proceedings to-day.
The prosecution was represented by Rufus W. Peck
ham as associate counsel of the Attorney Dis
trict. Attorney DE Groot of Richmond County, and
Lot C. Clarke The Attorney-General will probably
be present to-day. The defendants cause wa con-
ducted by Wm II. Anhon aud Gilbert Dean.
Mr.. Anthem moved to adjourn the case until Thurs
day morning, when Mr.. Tompkins would be present
The motion overrued.
Dr. Daniel H. Bissell was called and examined az
witness. He testified a. follows:
am physician of the Marine Hospital and Superin-
tendent of the grounds the night OF Sept. l. some-
where near 10 O'clock was aroused from my bed by
the ringing Of our bell; immediately dressed myself
and went to the fire. found the smallpox shany the
smallpox hospital and the coal-house on hre;
went TO where | found there was a eoncourse oil
people; the wall had been battered down, and there
was large party in when got there; | immediately
eudeayored to see who was there, and what for;
saw Thompson the defendant there; he was foremost
among those there; i urged them not 10 come
in, but he said they were hrenien, and must
come in--thai il was their duty tn do sos we
replied that the fire was already uuder our
control and if they wished, they could go down
below, where the other buildings were on hre
urged them to tear down the smallpox hospltal they
replied that they had nothing to pn II down wth the
fire had been extnguished within the sna poA hosp-
tai: nv own employees were in there; there was a
fence near about 20 or 30 feet from the hospitals
begged them to desst, but they rushed M threaten,
d them had musket; in my hand, but they pald
but very little attention to that after driving me ana
nv assistant back little ways they got me down ana
| got away and left the musket aud my nat on 'ne
ground behind; il was women and nyseu sgana'
from three 10 five hundred and thought the odds too
great retreated through the gate, perhaps ten rods
from there and halted; persons were then very soon
setting FIRE to the hospitals was the same COMPANY
which talked of eXtinguishlng the fre that set ne "
them: il was the small pox hospital; mean notins
es at that time did not defendant at the ohrn-
inc. he was within and in advance OF the crown lh
front there hslf-dozen or dozen VINO hu seeueu
to be prominent, and led the men; after tha'
left the ground aud abandoned oil the Dulidlhgs I"
their fate the next set on fire those on the bl
beside this hospital, there were SIX or Sven shth'es
fired and also the house known as the ST. Nichoas-i
u.
boarding and ther % to u boarder there
that night they were the and passengers of one
the ships; do know if there were any persons N
when If was set on fire; one barn, the dead-housc te
coal-house, wagon-hOuse, cohn-holse ana lie a"rh-
ing house which two or three families were l'hg III,
complete the list of buildings burned that night; do
not know if any of those people were In wnen ins hie
was set after leaving the men on the hi, ala nor
see the prisoner: saw good many persons Il"
not rccollcct much being said by the parties; they
svltt sill. mi
noises and they seemed 10 sci them on NE more
rapidlv: there WAS talking, too, but | dld not hear
what sad the next night, about1o o CLOCK, thef5
a large concourse OF people al Bufhs l
believe they had notict to meet and celebfstr
the burning of the buildings the night be-
fore; did not look at my watch to see the uule
the second right don't know that 1 identiied th,
man lthe defendoDtl particularly with them, Du.
dom think saw him with the mobi sa" nun aullnS
the night; he the grounds, passing through ie
crowd; the crowd had entire control OF the grouasi
the wal knocked down in nve or slx places thes
were walking where they would that nishl tney com
mepced to FIRE the bostucr's houses west oi an @ .ns
other buildings; they belonged to tue Pusran'n.
estsb shment. they were brick buildings; thu he@t
building fired Was DR.. Walters residenc'i NE h.~1
fired the occupied by myself the oniIi"s
known the Female Hospital was the next . tn.n
came the one occupied by Dr. Walser. my a,si.'tut
there were number of houses down there ana eanI
not say which wa- burnt first; did not 20 down. as
had to attend to the sick; the building, on Tue u.A
and the lodge were burned, ana aIsO iAe uo' a.
heve that comprises all; few men went aheaa " 'i
masses and in few minutes one would see me nI'
l do not know particularly who did tae Iiring' hi
nor what they hsd 10 fire them win; tie pi,u- n
ings were all consumed except the wan
there is also house which / have mol siep',o i
where We store the clothing and the MOO, PaIuii pa
toned of for the engine, on the second nishl
some of them saw "save the building ci the pN'o.
save the old Doctors house," this meant 10 ousn n
heard this while they were on fire. on nrst nls'
there was from 600 to 1900 people there thefe VIZ
some reports of guns pistols in the ooiiih
or -oon after the firing; -aw one ~ouhutI n..n a.
think heard from one dozen to twenty "a
arms; cannot say they all within tae ~hIs
saw one gun within ten rods OF me about nne' 1n'
there were from coo TO 200 people on 'ne seecnd
night: there was large number OUTSIDE inc van % lu
a good many in; | do not reooiient 9i heal"s an!
guns or pistols the second night hsa 10 ON -,
ton with the prisoner; there was gatnrlhs o. -. -
Hotel early in the evening" and until ate aon is
collect Of the prisoner being there eaiIo. CIV. ."
opinion as 10 the vaue of the buildings .leII s
large amount Of personal property consaneu, '',,e
were about thousand bedsteads eoussueu' We
had taken an inventory few day .n,. psIIs III .hs
new iron bedsteads and were rendered. 'I
bedding our drug store, our Stores aAa sGunalu
thing. cou. scarcely name DOW; Naton- IN
q cart q tAJkS tseStlsJ