New Lessee-of the Opera House. The Norwalk Opera House has been leased for a term of years to S.F.Gard- her, who recently purchased the Bar- num place .on North avenue. Mr. Gardner has for a number of years been a successful theatrical manager. It is understood that the Opera House is to be refitted and rejuvinated, and made more attractive. Only first-class companies will be booked. F. W. Mitchell will act as manager. The ohietosjects. Chief Engineer. J. T. Prowitt will strongly object to the ending of the the Street Railway double-track at a point directly in front of the Engine and Hook and Ladder headquarters on Main street, as proposed by the Street Railway company, as he believes it will greatly hamper the service of the com- panies.’ _.___-. g Q .— James F. Lester, a New York busi- ness man, has purchased the Hotchkiss property at Saugatuck He intends to do considerable building about the place and make extensive improve- ments. House-cleaning. Lustiine. 1 Go Ask your Grocers. .11; 111 111 Piece ()1.P ME; ~ T. Round, Sirloin and Por- terhouse Steaks, Sausge, Pot and Rib Roasts Reduced 26.11 Point All First Quality Meat. J . W. BOGARDUS, 6 WATER. ST. . NORWALK DRINK HATHllflN SPRING WATER FOR THE Stomach, Bo wels, Liver and u ' Kidneys. FOR SALE BY Tl: 3911133, 1118111 &Sellecl Cu NEW CAFE WIT H RESTAURANT AT T‘ACHE D. MIKE BATCHFORD, 44 Wain Street, The Best Wines, Liquors and Cigars. 1001111111 THE 111101, Clothier, Halter and Furnisher, , 170 WASHINGTON STREET i ‘SOUTH NORWALK. CONN... l 'as a large assortment of White and Blue « ilk mixed Diag )nal Suits. hand-made, good rimmed and furnished at Very reasonable ; u‘.gures Woosted Suits $8; Blue $11. and ‘ bite and 13' he, $12 Fine Custom Work made to order. Finest -ats in So’ Norwalk from best shops in town. Gents’ Furnishings in all varieties . low sures. : .4..: Horace E. Dann, EXOELBIOL 1 1___<rery_ and Sales St___a__b1e. WMJM‘T——- Opposite Danbury and Norwalk Railroad aepotl Norwalk. 001m. Stylish Single or Double Team with or without drivers Safe horses for women andchildren. . ADDLS HORSES a SPECIALTY * WEEK 1. 1': - HOW HE WAS KILLED. The case of George W. Stevens, Ad- ministrator, vs. The Norwalk Tramway company was on trial before Judge Hall in the Superior Court, Wednesday, and for the first time the true story of how Oliver R. Mumford met his death at. Rowayton on Thursday night, October 17. 1895, was told by a creditable eye witness who was present on the car at the time of the accident. Readers of the GAZETTE will remem- ber the lying statements made by ex- conductor Smith, ex-motorman Paxton and Young Beers, who were on the car at the time of the accident, and their final admission to Coroner Doten that they had perjured themselves. The trio were again on the stand yesterday and added several more falsehOods to their stories, especially young Beers who appears to have a penchant for lying. Sm1th and Paxton retold the story of the accident and both denied that any- one was on the rear of the car. at the time Mumford fell off excepting Paxton and Beers. Smith swore that he and Kantro were on the front end and Paxton, Beers and Mumford at the rear. Paxton swore the same and both said the car was not going over six miles an hour. When Smith was cross-examined by Attorney John J. Walsh, he denied that John Mott was on the rear plat- form, but when Paxton was cross-exam- upou him and made him reluctantly admit that Mott was on the car at the time of the accident. Smith was then remembered that Mott was there. Young Beers also remembered that Mott was present although they had strongly denied his presence in their former statements. This admission on the part of the de- fendant’s witnesses opened the way for John Mott, who related the following and only creditable story of how OliVer R. Mumford met his death. The night of the accident I wanted to go to South Norwalk, and seeing the car coming I walked out upon the track in front of Mr. Godfrey’s residence and held up my hand. The car stopped and I got Upon the rear platform where Mumford, Paxton and Beers were stand- ing. As I stepped upon the step Mumford saluted me and I responded. He was the only one of those on the platform that I knew at that time. Af- ter I got aboard, the car was started up and ran at great epeed When we reached the curve all four were standing in a row and as the car gave a lurch around the curve I was thrown against the one nearest to me and all went against Mumford who was nearest the step and he went off. I cannot tell who it Was that struck against Mumford but both Paxton and Beers wasebetween us. The car was going at a very fast rate of speed at the time, in fact a quarter faster than they ever go. The lurch made by the car going round the curve was very hard aid threw me against the others with considerable force.’ “The abovie story of Mott is the only reliable one ever told, and clearly ex- plains how Mumford was thrown from the car. He is fully corroborated in his statement of the speed of the car and the lurch as it went around the curve, by Kantrc, the passenger on the front platform of the car on that event- ful night. Paxton and Beers swore that there was no lurch of the car around the curve and they could not eXplain how he came to fall off. Being self-confessed perjurers their story will have no weight against that told by Kantro and Mott, more especially as the latter presents a reason for Mum- ford’s falling 011 the car. The testimony of both Mott and Kantro was fully corroborated by Mrs. Mary E. Brundage and George Slechton of Rowayton. both of whom testified that the car was running at a rapid rate. Prior to the testimony of Mott, King “William Mansfield, superintendent of the road,gave s’ome startling testimony . He testified that there was a notice printed on the glass at each end of car No. 7, the car from which Mumford fell, warning passengers against stand- 1ng on the platform. This sign Was on the car the night in question. He 7had experimented with the same car a few Weeks after the accident He had thélcar started back some distance from the depletion in the road with instructions to the motorman to put the car at high- est speed. He had stood on one foot with his hands in his pockets and when the car rounded the curve "going at the rate of 18 miles an hour,” he had not felt the slightest swaying of the car. After the defense placed Mrs. Mary Guider on the stand, who further cor- roborated Mott’s story of the accident, the case was adjourned Judge Hall hay- ing that he would visit the spot this morning. ' The Judge arrived on the 10 o clock train, this morning, accompanied by Judge DeForest. Tramway car No. 17 was in waiting at the corner of South Main and Monroe streets which the party boarded and Were taken to the car barn where car No. 7 was inspected, it having gone out of service. The sign referred to Was on the window in what appeared to the counsel for Mumford as nice fresh paint, and it was also painted so as to be read-by the passen- gers in the eat, those standing on the ined Attorney Waish Sprung a surprise ' recalled and strange to relate he, too, , outside being required to puzzle it out by reading it backwards. After the inspection the party were taken to the scene of the accident at Rowayton where Judge Hall made a careful inspection of the curve and premises. Upon request of Attorney Walsh the party reentered the car and .it was run over the curve at what was purported to be the highest speed. A start was made not over 150 yards from the curve and the power turned on full. The car made the distance in 334» sec- onds and as it rounded the curve a lurch was experienced, the force of which was sufficient to shut the front car door, which stood open. The time required for car No 17 to travel 450 feet would ,indicate that it was usually slow, which may account for Judge Hall saying that “ he never rode so slow before on an electric car.” On the return to South Norwalk the Judge and Attorneys took the 11:06 train for Bridgeport where the argu- ments were heard and the decision re; served «-<-.—- »——- TWO TENTHS MILLS The annual meeting of the represen- tatives and senators of Fairfield county for the purpose of laying the county tax for this year was held yesterday morning at the court house in Bridge- port. Senator John H. Ferris presided and Representative E. 0. Hull, of Mou- roe, was secretary pro term. The representatives adopted a resolu- tion to lay a tax of‘twotenths of a mill to be paid July 1. It was also decided to allow the com- missmners to build an isolated hospital for the connty home at a cost not to ex- ceed $5,000, provided the revenues of the county would yield a surplus equal to ' that amount over and above the regular expenses. A statement was made by the com- missioners as to what would be the probable expenses for the year, the revenue that could be collected and the tax necessary to make up the balance. It was shown that a large sum would be required under the law providing for good road», pro bably about $7,000. Aiter some discussion the tax was laid as abdvo. 'l he matter of providing for the con- struction of the isolated hospital at the county home was then taken up and considerable discussionfollowed. There was no direct opposition to the proposi- tion after the representatives learned that the commissioners hoped to build ' it without laying an additional tax. ’ The necessity of it was generally rec- ognized but some of the representatives thought 86,000 a big price topay for one.-At last a resolution was introduced by Representative E. O. Keeler to the effect that the commissioners be em- pOWered to have a hospital constructed ata cost not to exceed $6,000. This was declared carried by a close vote. Then Representative Lounsbury moved a reconsideration so that the limit of cost could be set at a lower figure, as the commissioners stated that they thought the Work could be done for less than the sum first stated. The reconsideration was carried. A substitute motion prepared by Re- presentative Marsh and making the limit of cost $5,000 was then adopted without a dissenting Voice after some debate. During the remarks on the question it was stated that there Were at present in the home 85 children. The number at one time 111111 been as high as 100. After the hospital matter Was settled the meeting adjourned. The County Commissioners extended an invitation to all the representatives present to dine with them at the Atlantic hotel. The invitation Was accepted and the party adjourned to that hostelry. In the afternoon many of the visitors accepted Sheriff Hawley’ s invitation to look over the jail. Constable Hunt Appointed. The board of health has appoited Thomas Hunt as sanitary inspector pur- suant to a vote of the Council author- izing the board to app01nt such an officer. Mr. Hunt received his instruc- tions last- night and commenced his duties to-day. It is preposed to make the inspection a thorough one and the sanitary laWs will be strictly enforced. Mr. Hunt’s experience last year makes him an especially good man for the pUsltluu. V C it Looking Ahead. . Mr. P. F. Masterson, of the Boston Store, went to New York yesterday where he placed an order for over $1,500 Worth of dolls for the' next Christmas holidays. This early ordering is made necessary from the fact that the firm import their dolls direct from Germany and in order to secure them in time they must put in an early demand or ordgr. Emigrating Contraband. A North Carolina colored family drove into town this morning with their own typical southern team, consisting of father”, mother and four bright eyed pickaninies. When last seen they were- headed for Hoyt’s Nursery, hoping to find employment. Frederick B. Hubbell, the lineman, who was so seriously injured by a fall from. a pole, Monday, is reported as being quite comfortable. and the at- tending physician, Dr. F. D. Powers, speaks quite ehcouragi'ngly- about the unfortunate man. ’ NORWALK-GAZETTEL".. 4%. THE. MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE CO. or NEW YORK. ‘ RICHARD A. MCCURDY President. aemen fur the Year ndingfleeflllflll. $221,213,721 33 194347.157 58 $26,866,563 .75 $48,597,430 5.1 $23,126,728 45 Assets.“ . ' . . Liabilities . . . Surplus » . . . > . Total Income . . ‘ -. . Total Paid Policy-holders in 1895, ’ _. Insurance and Annuities in force, $899 074,453 78 Net gain in 1895 . ' . . $61,647,645 36 NOTE—Insurance merely "17-11an 19 dlscarded from this Statemen actually 1ssued and paid fdr in cash ls Included . t as wholly mlsleadlng. and only insurance I have carefully examined the foregoing Statement and find the same to be correct- 1 9CHARLES A. PRELLER, Auditor. From the Surplus a'divid'end will be apportioned as usual. Report of the Examining Committee. Office of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New Yuri, . February 11,1896. At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of this Company, held on the 18t h day of December last, theundersigned‘were appointed a Committee to examine the annual Statement for the year ending December31st, 1895, and to verify the same by com- parison with the assets of the. Company. The Committee have carefully performed the duty assigned to them, and hereby certify that the Statement is in all particulars correct and that the assets specified therein are in possession of the Company. . .In making this certificate the Committee bear testimony to the highcharacter of their investments cf the Company and express their approval of the system, order and accuracy with which the accounts and vouchers have been kept, and the business in general transacted. H. C. Von Post, ( haries R. Henderson. James C. Holden, Robert Clyphant, Wm. P. Irixon. Committee J. H. Herrick. ) ROBERTA. GRANNIS, Vice-President. , WALTER R.GILLE'.1‘TE General Manager. ISAAC F. LLOYD, Second Vice-President, HENRY E. DUNCAN. Jr., Cor. Secy. WILLIAM J. EASTON, Secretary, ALBERT KLAMROTH, Asst. Secy. a FREDERIC CROMWELL, Treasurer. TOHN A. FONDA, Assistant Treasurer. JAMES TIMPSON, 2d Asst. Treas WILLIAM P. SANDS. Cashier EDWARD P. HOLDEN, Asst. Cashier EMORY MoCLINTOCK LL. D., F. I. A., Actuary. JOHN TATLOCK, JR., Asst. Actuary. WM. W. RICHARDS, Comptroller. CHARLES A. PRELLER, Auditor, ' HENRY S. BROWN, Asst. Comp. JOHN C. ELLIOTT, Superintendent of Domestic Agencies, EDWARD LYMAN SHORT, Gen. Solicitor. MEDICAL DIRECTORS GUSTAVUS S. WINSTON, M. D. ELIAS, J. MARSH, M. D. GRANVILLE M. WHITE. M. D. scum W. Nicholas. New Haven, General Agt. for State of Connecticut..- A9' .0 @AMP’ Local Agent. _ ‘ ' . _. fl,
Norwalk Chronicler