THE PUBLIC EXCITEMENT.

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cases found it impossible. It was not knownwhether the control was in the hands of the rail-road company, or of the village authorities. Theywere mostly railroad men who were superintend-ing the work. The excitement of the citizenswas not diminished, as it seemed so doubtful whowere in control. The fact that the Mayor of thecity was in the employ of the road as assistantengineer only increased this feeling. At thetime of the accident there was no coroner in theplace. The proper officer had previously de-clined. Another had to be appointed in hisplace. Access being denied to the spot, and thesupposition having obtained that the control wasin the hands of the Company rather than of thevillage corporation the suspicion increased. Thevery efforts of the authorities to protect the placeand keep back the curious strengthened the con-viction. A strange feeling pervaded the place andwas spread throughout many parts of the country.It was the element which most excited the peopleand which called attention from the widespreadpublic.

The only answer is that the calamity was too