Litchfield enquirer., 1870-09-29

st. John in Barkhamsted. They got into
 a general row, the result of which was, that several were injured, and the deceased
 morally wounded by the crushing in of
 his nbs, by a kick, as was supposed. The disturbance was occasioned by a dispute
 between the deceased and the prisoner about the payment of the liquor. The prisoner testified that the deceased attack ca him with knife. and that he knocked him down in self defence, but did not kick hmf In corroboration of this story, it was shown that the prisoner was cut across the hand, and that knife was found on the floor after the fracas. The fact seems to be that the whole party at St. Jonn's were so drunk that little can be known about the facts. The case was conducted by Goodwin and Sedgwick on behalf of the State, and Seymour and Fyler on be- half of the prisoner. Judges Seymour and Pardee were on the Bench, the former charging the jury. There was no agree ment of the jury, and the papers were ta- ken back. It is understood that they stood s for acquittal and 4 for conviction of man. slaughter
 --The case of 4State vs. Phillip Shelly is is now on trial. Court will adjourn next week, doing little but criminal business, this term.
 - The lecture of the Rev. Olympia Brown of Bridgeport, at the Court Room, Monday evening, had much fuller at tendance than was anticipated, and those who attended were rewarded by hearing one of the ablest extempore addresses ev- CT delivered in the place. In soundness of reasoning, felicity of expression, and telling force of delivery, Miss Brown has few equals. Her address not only dispers- ed the haze of misunderstanding and pre- judice that surrounds the subject in popu- lar estimation, but it was ill itself 8. com plete refutation of the prevalent notions that woman can feel, but cannot reason; that her largest "sphere" is to be found within the walls of the parlo1. the nurse ry, or the school-room; that she is without capacity for independence. Our space does not admit of that extended report of the lecturers arguments which could alone do tkem justice. Our expectations were more than realized, and we hope that this lady may soon demonstrate to other audiences the fact that forensic ability is not the attribute of single sex.
 It is gratify to see that so many of our townspeople have been willing to give woman pleading her own cause fair hear ing. Such has not been the case always or everywhere; and many excellent women have bitterly experienced the truth that the most unpopular arguments are those which cannot be answered.
 - The barn of Mr. Wm. E. Buel. about ? miles north of this village, was burnt on Thursday night. It contained about 30 tons of hay. Human bones were found among the ashes. and it is supposed that some drunken "tramp' accidentally burnt the building and himself together. The loss is said to be near $30O0.
 MT. Wm. H. Crossman, of the Mansion House, narrowly escaped total confagration on Tuesday morning. In endeavoring to put out leaky alcohol lamp. he knocked off the top, covered himself with the liquid, and was in a blaze in a moment. His clothes were torn off, and he was finally ex- tinguished without serious injury, except to one hand which was very badly burned.
 A meeting of the directors of the She paug Valley railroad was held in this place on Saturday. The subscription books showed shat the proposed amount of $400,- poo had been raised, and the location down the valley of the Shepaug river through Roxbury to Hawleyville was adopted. Con- will be commenced immediately as will appear from the proposals adver- tised in another column. A stockholders meeting has also been called to meet at the town room. in this place, on the 18th of October, to accept the recent amendments of the charter.
 MT. Frederick D. McNeil has bought the Riley place on North St., and has sold his residence in West Street to MT. John Woodruff.
 We call attention of business men and capitalists to the advertisement of THE SE. cUR1TY BANK, of the city of New York, which appears in another column.