The Portland daily press., 1872-10-30

he heard Dow, in the excitement of the recent
crash confess the possibility of fatal careless
ness on his own part. Such testimony, if sub
stantlated, would attach the responsibility to
Dow, beyond the shadow of an alternative sup
position 1t will be remembered that Walton.
in the same breath, with the assumption of a
ten years acquaintance with Dow, gave de-
scription of that gentleman's physical appear
ance which was almost exactly opposite the
fact, in every detail. The man who said the
words, perhaps the switch was wrong" was
according to this witness, TALL of light COM
plexion, curly haired, and with red moustache
and beard. 1t happens that Conductor Smith,
of the local freight, is the exact representative
of this description. The words which would
have been fatal to BOWS innocence, if uttered
by himself, in Mr.. Smiths mouth become only
a natural conjecture as to the cause of the dis
aster. The probability of a mistake in the
Identification of the brakeman, Dow, by Mr.
Walton, is suggested in a remarkable manner
by the testimony of to-day. After the exami-
nation of several employees of the road present
at the scene of disaster, and whose testimony
brought no fact of Importance to light, Newell
Dow was called. That the man told his story
with reluctance, for some reason unknown, was
perfectly evident. His style was as unlike the
straightforward, honest marathon of his name
sake, the brakeman, as can be imagined.
At times he spoke with logged unwillingness
and at times with surly bravado which tempts
strange differences. He was up early that morn
ing, it seems, for cunning expedition. His
chronology of the movement of the trains and
the events of the morning hardly comedies with
the established facts. But the most singular
part of his contribution to the desired light was
found in a mistake even more marked than that
which Walton made. Newell Dow also said
that he had known Charles Dow for years, and
that, indeed there was possibility Of distaot
family connection. When asked to identify
him, if possible, among those in the room, he
singled out Conductor Smith. Charles Dow
was not present. The witness struggled on
through his testimony in nervous, sullen man
ner which eliminated in a direct refusal to an
swer one of the coroners questions. When
told to be in attendance tomorrow, he mutter-
ed a refusal, saying that he expected to 90 to
Cape Ann in the morning to ship for a six
months fishing cruise. He was held under
bonds to appear, however, and to morrows de-
velopments are awaited with interest by all
concerned 1t will be best to resist the tempta.
ton to found any theory upon the strange turn
matters have taken, until further evidence shall
give it something stronger than sensational
basis to stand on.
In the course of the inquest Mr. Lincoln took
occasion to explain why the Eastern road al
lows cars to be run on its express trains which
are unprovided with the Miller platform and
the Westinghouse brake. The legislature Of
Maine, he stated, compels the company to give
transportation to the Boston and Maine line as
far as Berwick Junction The rolling stock Of
this road is destitute of either of the improve
ments alluded to. While driven by law to per
nit the unequipped cars of road perhaps
little inimical, to enter into the composition o.
its trains, the Eastern company can hardly b.
blamed for granting the same privilege to
friendly and allied road like the Maine Central