Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-07-21

LITTLE PROGRESS, LAST ESESfSG--So PROSPECT
OF A COMPLETION, This wEEE THE LINE OF THE
DEFENCE
Very little progress was made with the Water
Investigation, last evening, owing 10 the alb
sence of number Of witnesses This, with tile
adjournment until Friday evening next, will
prevent the ending of the inquiry before some
time next week. if it be possible to conclude then
All the members OF the committee were present,
last night.
The charge of drunkenness among bosses was
the special object of inquiry again last evening,
| and Henry Fletcher, who was employed on the
basin for some seven weeks. SAID he saw Mr..
Thompson under the influence of liquor, during
working hours, the first or second day he was
made gang boss. He further SAID lie saw
none others 20 affected. On his cross- -examina-
ton Mr.. Fletcher said that he particu-
condition at O'Clock III the day, al
though his suspicious were aroused at an ear
lier hour. The distinctive features of drunken
ness were that Mr.. Thompson did not know
what he was doing and was unable to recognize
his own tools, quarreling with his (Fletcher'z)
boss, VIM Davis, while they were putting them
| away, and besides he said he smelled liquor on
| his breath. He did not know. however, wheth-
| er Mr.. Thompson was able TO properly discharge
| his duties or not. Mr. Fletcher said he was dis
| charged week ago last Friday because he re-
| fused to carry water which he wfs not employed
| to do
| Vim. Davis, who worked On the basin from
| the l7th of last May to last Friday, also claimed
| to have seen MIR. Thompson under the Influence
of liquor, and like the previous witness said lie
smelled liquor on Mr.. T.'s breath. He eaid lie
was in the cellar putting away the tools with Mr.
| T., and he was unable TO put them away in an OF
/ derly manner. Some five weeks ago he saw Mr..
McIntire also unaer the intiuence Of liquor, he
said.
Being cross-examined, MIR. Davis said his i'm
pressions of drunkenness in Mr.. Thompson
| were formed from his general appearance he
| giving directions to his men at the time He
said lie informed Mr.. Reed OF Mr.. T'- condition
| He thought Mr.. Mclntro WAS diunk because he
| slipped down bank which was not sppery(the
| witness said he had been up and down 1t several
| times himself that day) and by his staggering
| when gong away Mr., Davis was discharged
| he said, for doing just what the foreman and
| other bosses had done previously--sitting down.
| For this he demonstrated with both by Ir.
| Hyde and Mr.. Wickerstan
John T. Richardson said he saw MessfH. Me
Intire and Grubb going in the direction of the
| " Weeping Willow SIX or seven times QUO day,
and informed Mr.. Hyde that if he would pay some
attention to that house he would learn something
| to his advantage. Once Also le had inform-
| ed Mr. Candy of Mr.. Wickerslams drunkenne So
1 On his cross examination he said he could not
see McIntre and Grubb enter the Weeping
| Willow"
Daniel i. Stewart, formerly employed at the
| basin, saw Mr.. Thompson drunk Oh June 3rd,
| him and his actions. He Informed Mr.. Candy
| of this fact, who said he would go and sec about
| it, but did not. He said lie had seen other gang
| bosses aud Mr. Wlcker-ham under the influence
| liquor, but could not say they were drunk.
Mr.. Stewards cr0ss- s-eX animation was directed
mainly to an inquiry az to the bias Of his mind
| with reference to the investigation. He de-
MED that he WIS party to the movement to oust
Mr.. Hyde; declined to say whether he was aware
| of such movement was on foot and said lie
had been active in procuring Testimony to sup
port the charges. because he thought this in.
yestigation would throw light on the charges
which had been made against Mr.. Danny, and
| of which he had been accused az all accomplice
| When questioned as to the manner in whicl
he expected the investigation to affect tho
the charges against MIR. Danny he simply as
serted that "money had been given to wit
ness" and declined TO say anything further OIL
explain his meaning, saving it would all com,
| out at a later stage of the inquiry.
A. Il. Peterson was called, but said he hat
never seen any of the bosses drunk although ht
had been at work upon the basin daily.
| This ended the inquiry for last evening. Dur
ing the time Mr.. Stewart was on the stand, Mr.
Bradford in some remarks as to the propriety o
questions which he had put to tile witness, bu
which he declined to answer gave, to some ux
tent what lie said would be the line Of the de
fence. 1t will be simply an effort to prove
conspiracy to put ont of office MIR. Hyde, ell
gagged i'll which he thinks are some OF tie wit
nesses, and If he can criminate any of them, d
rectly or inferentially. by their own teatimon
he thought it right and proper.