Connecticut western news., 1872-03-01

u1Sc eafcu tAie duJpluIuS pToPcILfs ouS tAS coal will probably be destroyed. The loss isI$75, ,Ooo; insurance, l9,Ooo.
 hyured.-Dr. Silas Kellogg of Sheffield, a venerable, honored and highly respecta- ble physician, fell last Friday on the ice and severely injured his leg, By some it is thought to be broken. The Doctor is singularly unfortunate, having been aD invalid for many years, and at various times, met with serious accidents. He has the sympathy of all who know him.
 Windy.-Last Monday was decidedly the windiest day of the season, if not for many seasons past Old Boreas was on regular old tear, seemingly ripping the very turf from the ground. Down the street he went all day long slambing blinds, blow ing people up against fences, throwing dirt in their eyes and very generally ren- dering himself exceedingly disagreeable. The tall smoke pipe at the Washinee fac tory was blown over during Saturday night. and as consequence only that portion of the works which the water wheel will carry can run, the other part lying idle few days till new smoke stack can be adjus- ted.
 Another SAot.-Charles Rathbun of Pawling was shot Sunday afternoon about o'clock. by the accidental discharge of his gun while getting over stone wall. The contents of the gun lodged in his right side. He died Tuesday evening about l o'clock, aged l5 years. We understand this young man was out hunting on the Sabbath day, and the fatal results of that conduct we have just read. It would seem as though SO many examples of hunt 1 ing and fishing on Sunday, would be suf 1 ficient to teach dU that it is about the poorest business in which man can engage
 It is too bad that some will not learn only by experience, and then as in this case, that knowledge is obtained, alas too'latc to 1 be of service.
 1 Railroad Meeting.-Last Friday, Con- ductor Stillson's train on the Housatonic railroad carried into Bridgeport the largest collection of ''dead head we ever saw to- sether at one time. These dead heads arc an entirely different class of ''beasts' from ''sore-heads," being much better natured and generally much handsomer. (Editors- are sometimes called ''dead- heads. J These of Friday for instance were rather remark able for their beauty. The occasion of this general dead-head stampede of Friday was the railroad meeting of the Housatonic railroad company in Bridgeport, held for the purpose of electing new board of di- rectors for the ensuing year. At l2 o'clock in the afternoon the meeting was called to order in the office of the com pany, and immediately tine stockholders proceeded to the business of making off cers for the road. It is a conceded fact that none but ''dead-heads" can mark out the plans and get up a really first class group of railroad officials. These ofd Fri day appeared thoroughly posted in their business, and but few moments time for them was all that was necessary. to stock f the road with full compliment of direc, tors. Twelve thousand, two hundred and seventy two votes were cast, eoery one of which was cast for the old, well tried, suc- cessful and popular directors of last year j; viz, David Leavitt, Sam'. Wlllets, Wm. H. Barnum, Geo. w. Peet, Geo. H. Noble. Horace Nichols, Wm. D. Bishop, David S.. Draper and Charles. Peck. After the reelection of these directors, the meeting was adjourned, after which meeting of the directors elected the Hon. Wm. H. Barnum, for president of the road for the year ensuing, and for vice president, D. S.. Draper; secretary and treasurer, Charles K. Averill superintendent, H. W. Franklin, of Canaan. On their return trip in the evening, these industrious and valued dead heads, conducted themselves with proper decorum. If one of their number did vol calling out the stations as they were ar rived at, and in his aTdor to be on time wheu the train arrived at the Ashley Falls station, called out Harrington, he of course isn't to be blamed for it. His stock was doubtlessy slightly watered.
 Superior Court.-The case of Hicks vs. Stewart for assault, came before the Supe- rior court at Litchfield this week, and up 10 the time we go to press, we have not heard the result. Quite company of witnesses have gone from this village to testify in the case. We are not fully decided as to whether the course now universally pur- sued throughout the country, in the sum- moning of witnesses, is right or wrong. In deciding the case, it of course is necessary at first to ascertain whether every petty suit that comes before the courts, of however little consequence, is of more importance than Gny other business ji1 the country. As it is now, for every worthless drunken lout that is brought up, whose head is scarcely worth its weight in cabbage, 9 score or more of witnesses must be dragged from their business. The courts seem not to think for a moment that there is anybody else in existence, whose business is worthy of the slightest consideration by them. A certain man cannot leave his business so unexpectedly, for two or three days with out serious loss. He is suspected of know. ing something of certain case, and the first thing done is to subpoena him. This is the way witnesses are obtained, and as the cases will average, not a third of all the witnesses called know anything more about the case on which they testify, and can give really no more satisfaction for the trouble and expense of getting them there, than could so many Fiji islanders. On, man called from here to witness on th, : Stewart case, was not only out of the town but out of the state at the time of the as sault on MT. Hicks by Stewart. He un. doubtedly will be unusually serviceable to the court. This idea of subpenaing witness