Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-08-29

c.c FAT NANCY TREsTLE ACCIDENT
Iae .s.sion ofthe 0rangeCounty Court on
a ui ,ac last the absorbing topic wasthe mat
A l.oirhe responsibility OF the Midland rail-,
lei acrimiuel sense, for the disaster at Fat
t d. TrestIe work, short distance IRON
S W. c. H several weeks since. A cor
V.a,saent Of the fredericksburg Star says :;
i' n. John Williams, the Commonwealtn's
,.,a,o4y of tae county, being the retained
49, .oay for the road in all matters, toe
s''Y.1, onnointea the Hon. George Shscke.-
COW. ~ prosecute the matter, and empsnnel-
~" snecial grand jury TO investigate and
~ ,bsir report 10 the court; but before
~a ';.i,o oace them the following lnstrnc-
'o "a prevailing impression seemiDg,to some
..aot IN possesses the public mind that the
- disaster occssioned by the breasage
'T re ,re.t!e near this place, and known as
~ IA Nancy, that the authorities OF the
w. rosd arc criminally responsible for
,ba fsarful loss Of :fS snd limb.
'. IN Gentlemen have been summoned as a
..,isI Grand Jury TO thoroughly investigate
IA truth Of the matter, TO 90 when the
"or,t sill render every facility within It's
ooger It having already had summoned to
smear before you all persons Whom IL con.
.iasrpd might have probable knowledge OF
s .ha 5isa.ter. end will stand before you and
any others whom you may wish to lnterro-
gate .o,;on "a o-oo.
,,rs NJ the law, and a. such, IS suo5erVient
-, ,a' and mus; be bound by it, and though it is
.onnosaa that it is corporation which hes
, ~ soDl il has 9 head which is responsible
~, un)awful and criminal acts.
"a railroad corporation is common car
-, ond must be an insurer of the lives aud
INNS of the people entrusted to it for trans
n1rtatio1 in 80 far that il is required to exer-
riss the most prudent care and vigilance to
nravent injury; and as TIE passengers are
r,nnletejy within tie power OF the road
when The train is in motion, the law holds
il 10 the strictest accountability for the
slightest neglect of positive duty; and al
though unforeseen and uncomfortable acct
dants do continually occur, whea 1t would
he unreasonable and unjust to seek to hold
the company responsible; but still, if rail
road company knows that they have q. IN
.sfe bridge or trestle the breakage of which
would cause the loss of life and limb. and
'bey not only withhold that knowledge from
the innocent traveller, but neglect the
n,oner diligence to make it safe, when
death or Injury occurs they are guilty OF
crimina neglect.
III VOL gentlemen are not made satlshed
that the RI jIroad company in this case mad
knowledge If the weak aud dangerous con-
Orion of this irestle. and neglected for the
.h,rtes, reason able space of time to make 1t
safe and strong unless it's condition was OF
svco character as TO preclude the posslol-
ity or presump tion of their ignorance OF Its
condition. then the company could not be
considered guilty of criminal neglect.
The grand Jury, after much.d elaboration,
returned into court Il yresentment, TO tina
effect that the railroad company was crl M
DslIv responsible for the lives and injuries
done the passengers and others on board the
tisi,. when the court dismissed them until
the acting Common wealtb's Attorney could
prepare an Indictment in the case.
''rhs cas- e will involve great interest
throughout the whole country, ss this is the
list Indictment against railroad COM
pany in this country, certainly in this State,
for negligence in killing and iDjaring their
passengers or employees"
A special dispatch received at this ONCE
this evening states that the grand Jury re-
fused to hold the railroad company respon'
sib'e for the accident, returning mot a true
bliln TO the Indictment which had been pre-
pared and submitted to them.
PERSONAL "A Saratoga letter to the New
York Horid Gays: "Mrs Addison Cammack,
ase Miss Goody Hildreth, Of Washington, is
bowler OF considerable more Importance
than any one would suppose who never en-
COUntered her in bowling alley, and her
husband, the distinguished broker of New
York and Washington, is very proud of her
achievements aud would, perhaps, DO will
ingto osck her against any lady bowler In
the United States. Mrs. Cammack is one
OF the oveliest women at Saratoga. she
dresses with exquisite taste, and has two OF
the sweetest little cberuhs in the world. Mr..
Cammack is, TO put it mildly, the happisst
man in four continents. Mrs. Cammsck is
strong, robust young woman, and when
she Is bowling thu ladies Of the United
sstes Hotel crowd in the alley to see her. :"
Capt. Geo Mays has returned from Am
hetst county
Nh Stewart Jameson has returned from
the Warm Springs.
Rev. G H. Norton has returned from
tnp through the New Eogland States. where
Atv5ty pleasantly spent his vacation.
MIS-. NJ. +. Peyton is pleasantly rusticating
alsycamcfe.
Mr. Howard j. Chandler and Miss Vir-
s0ls f Patterson OF Washington, we're
married. in hat citv yesterday.
DI D N. Rust has returned from Staunton
HAere he went TO attend the meeting of the state
Dental Association.
Mrs Geo. W. Merchant and her sister, Miss
owing left here this morning for six weeks
Alo0tn IN the upper counties.
Observation-Disclosures coming from the
yeiow fever districts and attempting to en-
.eF tnis city and Washington from the South
viii ind it g somewhat difficult task to es-
Gspe unnoticed The closest wstch is being