New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-01-26

From the New York Tnbune-l
The guilt of the Lawrence massacre would seem
to be fixed where it belongs. In the course Of the
coroners inquest, on Thursday, Mr.. John B. Tutte,
of Lowell, a brick mason Of thirty-four years ex-
perience, BY whom the Pemberton Mill was erected,
testified that the work was done according to the
directions of Charles H. Bigelow, Engineer Of the
Company, and Benjamin Coolidge. We quote in
full the evidence of this witness:
's The contract was made with Charles II Bige-
low, Engineer of the Corporation; had nothing to
do with the foundation; should think the founda-
tion was above five feet deep on the east side:
while we were building the mill, we got our water
to drink from the foot of the foundation wall. 1t
was good water 1 thought at the time the water
came from the canal, but have had some doubts
about it since. In about two months there was a
drouth and this water dried up. It was constantly
running through the stones of the foundation to-
ward the lower end Of the mill The pilasters in
the fourth story were projected out eight inches,
and in the second story they were dropped to four
inches. Orders then came from Mr.. Bigelow to
dispense with the pilasters altogether. When the
timbers for the upper stories came they were too
short and we were ordered to put projections upon
the walls to rest the timbers upon. expressed
my opinion at the time and many times afterward,
and have never changed it, that the walls were too
weak for such a building. / told Mr. BigeloW SO
when we were building it. told Mr.. Putnam, one
of the owners SO, in Boston, ! told many others
the same thing lido not know Of any other large
mill with walls so weak as the Pemherton, and
never want to hear Of one. The building was much
cut up by windows, which weakened it. We had
orders every day from Capt. Blgelow and Ben.
Coolidge, the Engineer. We have generally built
mills tWenty-eght inches, including a space of
four inches the first story. dropping to sixteen
inches at the top.
stWitness expressed some doubt about finding ont
from the appearance of the foundation now, if it
should be cleared. The usual width Of mills is 48
feet There were irons on the ends of the floor
timbers, turned up, but they did not connect with
the outer wall. 1t would have added strength to
the building had they been screwed through to
| the cross-wall. The steam chimney formed one
corner of the building and if that chimney swayed
off so as ta make a crack from bottom to top, It
would weaken that part of the building very much.
| In my opinion steam chimney ought never to be
connected with q building. The quality of the
brick used in the building was very poor, indeed.
Witness complained several times to Captain Bige-
was running freely in the foundation walls for two
months. We could hear it running through the
stones. We dug out q small place, about as low as
| the bottom of the wall, inside, to dip water from
/ to drink. Witness considered that water rnRRiag
at the bottom Of foundation wall in this way
/ would be dangerous, inasmnth as it might under,
mine the wall. Witness explained that where the
/ upper floor timbers were put in upon the proJec.
| tions thrown out Of the inner wall, the whole wall
was made solid about Is inches. Below, the TIM
| bers were SO short that they entered but little
/ way into the WALL and rested mainly upon the
brick projections. When the timbers were brought
/ and discovered to be too short, the wall had been
| carried 50 high that it was necessary to tear II
i down in those places where the tlmhers were to
rest, and build in the projections =
Unless the parties here indicted can set aside the
force Of this testimony. public opinion will hold
them responsible for this most dreadful and heart
rendine destruction of human life. II remains to
| be seen whether the law of Massachusetts, will
/ hold them responsible also.
/