, 1874-06-18
Conclusion Of tho Examination In tho
Joliet Iron and Steel Com
pany's Case.
Decision Concerning the Liability Of
Tug-Boats.
miscellaneous Business.

tho bookRoopor were the only persons examined.
Iho testimony Of tho two former officers las
already boon published. and tho result Of the
examination Of the bookkeopor fnilod to
nort ~ .,,s Toa.n" roou'"sn NJ" W.
pn1' VI she Gonlpah7' Iho examination,
rs stated In tho affidavit, was basod
on tho charge that tho books had
tt,oro,o,, avn,;,,o.,a, - H.. ,,s.,,a 80 a,s
sno,o!gn n o.a'uaNon ol tho pooNa a''a olncora
'lo"s's 'aHt 'he pooAS ano auaila OF the Oom-
pafy woro In q perfectly satisfactory condition,
as far az any fraud was concerned, Tho testi-
mony showed That ahout an 1t1) had hoo, mid
ont AZ fho atgnta ~ TIN fnmnanv s;nno ia n,n-
meracoment Of The proceot!;nog in hankrnntav
but TINT this amount waa ali mid ont nntlor,
lahorers aud mochanIcs, or to nay intaregt tn1es
or ronte. to nroenrvt, tho 1,ronorty II liz
| Conpanv. Ff7
| About two months aro Tho Oomnanv mado Of
par in full Tor tho claims, About 85 nor cent Of
| tho creditors agroot to auch an arranromo,,t
| Dlakoly tho potitioninr oroltor. was one ~ tho
| committee WHO instituted tLo propogod gottio-
rottton in bsnruntoy and the nogotfatnn hu has
heon suddenly stopped, 1t loast Tor 3ho prcsont.
As tic examination has shown n corroot aud Inn
cat state Of afraire, 1t ia not Improbable that tic
Company may be able to e1tricato itHelf fron, ,ta
prosont diflioultioa.
THE L1An1L1ry OF 1uo-poA7s,
4 case was triod ."Tuccday bpforo Judge Afc~
Roborsa which contained IN Interesting dectsiou
respecting tho liability Of tug-boats in rocerd to
collision. Tho case was brought by Terence
Whitney against Samuel Il, Donsldson. Robart
Donaldson, and Oliver Donaldson. owners Of q
tug-boat named E, YanDa]sop. to raeoyor dam
ages caused by tho nogligeuco Of tllo CaptaIn Of
tho tug, The plaintiff states that on tho 24th
bridge, tho tug WA towing q nropelter
on tho river, which struck tho bridge
with such violence as to knock him, together
with tho horses and buggy. or tho briaeo In lin
ground below, q latanee, Of il or 20 % feot. He
alleges he waa seriously injured thereby, and
claimB $4,000 damages for Tie accitiont, Tho
| trial occupied about two daya. md number of
witnesses wore called and dispositions read Tho
bobalt Of tho defendants, was TINT tho toSs. tho
by hor own steam power, mud used
tho tug principally to nssas her In turn
| windward. The tug uas on tho starbonrd bow
Of the propeller, pulling her south up tho ryor
! Whom they neared tho bridge, tho tug gave sig
mails to tho propeIor to atop, and if the Caldwell
It is customary to have two tuga when q prsonel.
| lor Is towed up the river without steam on. Tho
Captain Of tile propeller testified that lie ouly
| had enough steam on to bo rendy to obey ary
! signals the Captain Of tho tug might mako,
and not enough to propnl tho bout at a1l
proximity OF the bridge, leaving tho whole matter
to tho Captain Of tho tug. Tho day was very
dusty. tho wind blowing hard, aud tho witnoss
did not aee tho bridge until when yory near it.
Tho tug gayo no signals, md kept on pulling
even after tho propeller strucl1 tito bridge and
pushed it open, but tho Captain Of tho propeller
t4eu succeeded in bringing her to q full stop.
Tho evidence WAS decidedly contradictory, tho
tug and propeller endoavoriug to lay tho blanc
on each other.
It was charged, on behalf Of tho plotntifr. TINT
If tho action Of the tug contributed naturally to
cauao the COLLISION the defendants. lor owners,
must be held responsible; that tho negligence
Of tho propeller, oven though It contributed to
the accident, furnished no excuse for tho luz.
If tho negligence Of stIo tug was such that tic
accident cond not have happoned @ but ',s for her M
| assistance tho plaintifr eIlould hayo d yorlict,
Custom did not Justify personB in doing what was
mauifoatly dangerous to lifo or property. II the
signalhad boon given On tho bridge ior stopping
boats, so that tho bonita could sec it, md tic luz
still continued to moyo o1lt bringing tho tug III
dangerous proximity to the bridge, 10 tia tit waB
ADnhrAuty Uonbtful What1,nr altn p1u1i utnr md