The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-08-07
THE PHILADELPHIA AND BALTIMORE CEN

MEETING OF Observation-Disclosures ROAD ABOUT TO De
HANDED OVER TO THE PHILADELPHIA, WILMINGTON
AND BALTIMORE RAILROAD COMPANY.
An adjourned meeting of the parties interested in
the Philadelphia and Baltimore Central Railroad,
was held at Avondale, Pennsylvania, on Saturday
last. After the meeting was called to order Mr.. j.
jackson, from the Committee which was appointed
at last meeting, reported that no money could be
raised for the present Board of Directors The re.
port was accepted and the Committee discharged
The Rev. J. NJ. Dickey then presented the propo-
sition of S. NJ. FELTON, & Co.. to furnish $3.50 600.
for which they agree to take the first mortgage
bonds of the Company at co per cent, and lease
on the road for twenty years, with right to re-
new for twenty years more The proposing parties
do not agree to build the road but only to take
that portion which the Company build and operate
1T. lie said he had not pressed the proposition be-
fore, as he wanted to give the along the line of
the road chance to do something. He would now |
however, press the proposition He was sorry that
there should be any aspersions against Mr.. FELTON,
ana himself, and one or two others, who had pro-
cured this lease. The road had debt Of Sl40 900:
SlO,0O0 OF floating debt, and protested mole of
S3,000. Those obligations must be met or the road
must be sold out
Mr.. Gilmore, of Baltimore county, Nd. thought |
that the Maryland men had been treated badly
his neighbor, Mr.. Ridgey, had subscribed $50, 600
lie had subscribed $4,000, and that would build
the q road from Baltimore through his farm and Mr..
he would let one.haf slide into the Chesapeake
Bay If that would put the road through. He wanted
TO see the cars running and that road the great
thoropghtare to the North. He preferred the
Sherih 8 hammer to the grip of Mr.. FELTON,. He
hao worked Tor six years to help the road, and now
ne only asked for sixty days to ensure the compile
ton OF the road.
Mr. Stump (Harford county, Md said that he
thought Mr.. Dickey had shown unseemly haste in
TINS matter. He was very severe on the friends of
the FELTON, lease; lie thought it was a sell out, or
eise lnere would nave been stipulation that the
road should be completed. He considered the stock
all sunk anyhow, and preferred the sheriff to Mr..
FELTON,.
| Rev. }. NJ. Dickey said no company could be
chartered for two years-a company of individuals
would be liable for losses and debts to the amount
OF their private property. He had not interfered
TO prevent money being raised, and could see moth
ing lin improper roper il in N Mr. Feton's proposition.
ting up of company along the road.
Sr. Dickey again urged immediate action
Money could not be raised, and it was no use trying
| any more.
DR.. Cunningham thought the road was like
| sick man, and the last collision was the death
| blow. He reviewed the efforts that had been made
| and said they had all fell through, and he moved
| Tor committee of seven to have the lease drawn
| up for the final adoption of the stockholders
| After considerable discussion the following mo-
ton of Samuel j. Dickey was adopted unani-
| mously:
Resolred That the President and Directors of the Pha
delphia and Baltimore Central Railroad Company be
authorized to lease the road within twenty days from this
ume, ana that they give preference to satisfactory
party Offering for the same along the ne but if such
SATISFACTORY aa act proposition is made from such company,
cates unless subscription along of the road of
sufficient amount OF the bonds to carry on the road
under its present direction and whatever proposition
or lease they shall determine upon shall be submitted to
the stockholders for confirmation rejection within five
days after the expiration of the time before mentioned
and lease shall binding unless ratified nv the soc
| holders.
committee of twenty-five was then appointed
| to solicit funds to save the road and Morton Pen
mock was appointed chairman. He is of Kennett
Square. The meeting adjourned sine die.
THE ESCAPE OF CROSS, THE FORGER.
1t was announced in our telegram column, yester-
day, that the notorious Colonel j. Buchanan Cross
who was awaiting sentence for forgery escaped
from his keeper, in Philadelphia on Saturday The
Ledger, Of yesterday, gives the following account
| of the affair:
On Saturday morning, Col. j. Buchanan Cross,
VINO was awaiting sentence for forgery, escaped
from John Porter one of the tipsaves of the Quar-
| ter Sessions, who was bringing him to court A
motion for a new trial pending, and was to
| have been argued on Saturday, but owing to some
misunde derstanding between Cross and his counsel,
the defendant was satisfied that the molten would
not be argued, but that he would receive his sem
| tence. When Mr.. Porter stopped for nim at the
prison. he requested the officer to get a carriage,
as ne wished his wife to accompany him, it being
! the last opportunity which would be afforded him
previous to his sentence. The officer got the car
| rlage, but no wife appeared, and Cross and Porter
alone started OIL. On the way down, the Colonel
| requested, as favor, that he might be taken to
| Nllller's Hotel, corner of Washington avenue and
Moyamensing avenue, that he might arrange
his trunk, which had been left there when be was
| arrested 10 this the officer agreed, and the par
ties drove to the hotel, where thev went up to the
| third story. The room darlened, and while
Cross was pretending to unlock the trunk he asked
Mr. Porter to open the shutters, and as he stepped
thn lndn 70 do, N,,rz
and was out the doorway, and had the door locked
upon the officer before he could well recover from
ms surprise Down stairs at full speed he went,
dropping his hat on the way, out into the yard,
and then over the fence, his escape being facili-
tated by two chairs which were standing in the
yard. Once in the street, he jumped into a Gov
cred wagon, which seemed to be there in waiting,
| aud was driven of at a rapid rate, before MIR
| Porter could escape from his room Mr. Porter
had to kick out the panels of the door before he
could get through, and when he reached the side
walk he was in time to see the wagon disappearing
from his sight. He ran after it, but the pursuit
was frutless.
The matter was brought to the notice of the
Court Immediately after it opened, and Mr. Por-
ter, under oath, made the statement OF the escape
| substantially as above. Judge Allison said he had
some dlihculty in regard to the course he ought
to pursue in the matter He had no doubt that
tins was misfortune on the part of the officer and
| ne did not think there any completely on the
part of Mr.. Porter. There was nothing in his
conduct as an officer to justify such a belief But
be had departed from the strict line of duty in
taking the prisoner to the hotel instead os bringing
MIN direct to Court. When officer did thus
transgress his duty and prisoner escaped he must
be held responsible. The Revised Code made it
very serious offence for an officer even through
negligence to allow a prisoner to escape 1t was
misconduct to take the prisoner anywhere except
to Court, and the Judge said he knew instances
where officers had been induced to take prisoners
10 houses under one pretence or the other, and in
several OF these instances escapes had been effected
| In the present the prisoner shonld have haen
brought directly to Court, and he felt called upon
TO say that, for the present, Mr.. Porter must con-
sIder himself suspended as officer of the Court.
What further action might be taken, would be for
future consideration.
The law made this an indictable offence, but he
would not then hold Mr. Porter to bail, but it was
very probable that the Court would feel compelled
to proceed against him a bail of Indictment.
Very much depends upon Mr.. Porter's exertions in
endeavoring to recapture the fugitive 1t was his
duty to take early and vigorous measures.
Mr. Porter said he had already done all he could
IN the matter, not, however, with any view to-
wards the retention Of his position.
Suopenas were issued for the purpose of bringing
In all persons residing at Miller's Hotel, well
as those who witnessed the escape, and upon the
appearance OF the parties, they were all examined
under oath.
Constable Gilingham testified that he was in the
neghborhood and he saw man running M the
street, but he had hat on, he supposed him to
be one of the neighbors, and he made no effort to
stop him. He saw him jump into what appeared
to pe MIX wagon, and drive OF at furious
rate.
| Charles Bush testified that he was sitting nearly
opposite to Mier's, when he heard the cry OF
somebody who wanted to get out, and he heard the
crashing OF the door, as il being broken down. He
ran around the corner and there met man, who
he had since learned was Col. Cross Cross was
running, and the witness asked him what was the
matter, and the reply was, that thief was running
across the square and he was after him. The wit.
ness told him he thought he was the thief but the
Colonel sprang into the milk wagon and drove off
or was driven off. All the witnesses saw the back
part OF the wagon, and could tell whether there
was anybody else in it but the fugitive.
boy in the neghborhood corroborated Bush.
| Mr.. Miller, the proprietor of the hotel testified
that he had no knowledge of the visit of Cross to
| his house; that he had received the day before n
notice to be in Court on Saturday morning, and
| therefore, when the Colonel must have been at his
place, the witness at Court.
| A daughter of Mr.. Miller, testified that she saw
| Cross run into the yard and jump the fence. The
| chairs in the yard had been used by the servants
who were washing.
Here the matter ended for the present.
REAPPEARANCE OF EDWIN FoRREsr, THE AMERICAN
! TRAGEDIAN.-For a long time the public have been
most anxious to ascertain whether Mr.. Edwin For
rest, the American tragedan, had quilted the stage
for life, or whether he could be induced to give at
! least series OF farewell representations. The
efforts of managers to obtain from Mr. Forrest some
| declaration OF his intentions have been most unre-
| mitting and have at last been crowned with sue
cess. Mr.. Nixon, of Niblo's Garden, who has been
| engaged in many remarkably successful theatrical
enterprises has at length been enabled to effect an
engagement, and Mr.. Forrest almost the only liv-