The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-01-31
The Criminals Discovered.

The guilt of the Lawrence massacre would
Seem TO be fixed where is belongs. In the course
of the Coroue,'s inquest. on Thursday, Mr.. John
B. Tu,te. of Lowell, q brick mason OF thirty-iour
wears experience BY whom the Pemoerton VII"
vas erected. testified that the work vas done &C
cordng TO the directions Of Charles II. bigeio",
egneer OF the company, and Benjamin Coo!edse-
We quote in full the evidence of this witness:
The contract was made with Charles II. Big
Glow. engineer Of the corporation; had no'hig
10 do with the foundation; should think the
foundation wss above five feet deep on the east
side; while we were building the mill, We got our
water 10 drink from the foot OF the foundation
wall. I: was good water; thought a. 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. /, was constantly running through the
stones OF the foundation toward the lower end OF
the mill The pilasters in the fourth story were
projected out eight inches, and in the second
story they we're dropped 20 four inches. Orders
then came from Mr.. Bigelow to dispense with
the pilasters altogether. When the umbers Tor
the upper stories came, they were too short, and
we were ordered to put projections upon the
walls 10 rest the timbers upon. lc-pressed my
Opinion. at the time ana many times drterlcdfd q,
and hare nerer changed IL, that the walls ,cers
too reak for such a building. told Nr. bige-
lo,r so ,rhe,. vs were building IL. 4 told Mr..
Putnam, one Of the ornes, so, in Boston.
told many others fhs same thing. DO not
knotc Of anu other large mill lsth rails 50 Tsdk
a. the Pemberton, and 1 nersr irant 20 hear 81
one. The building was much cut up with win
dows, which weakened it. We had orders every
day from Capt. Bigelow and Benz. Coolidge, the
engineer. We have generally built mills twenty
i 4 ,rs.l,.,-
the first story, dropping to sixteen inches at the
top. Witness expressed some doubt about find
ing out from the appearance of the foundation
now, if il should be cleared The usual width
of mills is IS feet. There were irons on the
ends of the floor timbers, turped up, but they
did not connect with TIE outer wall. Ii would
have added strength to the building had they
been screwed through the cross-wa. The
steam chimney formed one corner Of the build
ing and if that chimney swayed off so as TO
make crack from bottom 10 top, it would
weaken that part of the building very much.
In INV opinion, a steam chimney ought never to
be connected with building. The quality OF
the brick used in the building was very poor in
deed. Witness complained several times 10
Capt. Bigelow of the poor quality of the brick
The water was running freely in the foundation
walls for two months. We could hesr il running
through the stones. We dug out a small place,
about as low the bottom OF the wall, inside. 10
dip water from 10 drink. Witness considered
that water running at the bottom of foundation
wall in this way would be dangerous, inasmnch
AZ it might undermine the wall. Witness eX-
planned that where the upper floor tmbers were
put in upon the projection thrown out of the
inner wal, the whole wall was made solid abou,
/ inches. Below, the timbers were SO shor,
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 SO
high that it was necessary 10 tear it down in
those places where the timbers were TO rest, and
build in the projections"
Unless the parties here indicated can set aside
tie force of this testimony, public opinion vii
hold them responsible for this most dreadful and
heartrcnding destruction OF human life. Ii re-
mains TO re seen whether the law Of Massschu.
setts will hold them responsible also.-N. J.
Tribune.