The Portland daily press., 1877-04-23

manager OF the Press, testified, in part as follows:
All books Of account kept in the countingroom,
ground floor, No. 109; there are no signs over the
door at the foot of the stairs leading to the editorial
and composing rooms above, to invite people up
there to do business We, far as possible discour
age the carrying of advertisements up stairs, al
though that is sometimes done in the evening after
the counting-room on ground floor is closed. re-
member the night of the accident; it bright and
clear, the moon being its FULL reached the Of
flee at about half past twelve that night found every
thing as usual, with the appearance of work going
on, but nobody in the editorial or composing
rooms; heard noise below went down stairs into job
office; there found group of men, in center of which
was Parker lying; carriage had been sent for;
Coley talking with Parker: could not hear Parkers
reply; when carriage arrived returned up stairs,
went into the hallway, found doors to the elevator
open as usual; the gate to elevator across the
entrance, but started about foot back from its
place; light on Argus stairs at other end of hallway
was burning brightly; called out Cobb and Lefavor
to take notice of hallway as to lighness, etc.; it
was twilight; could readily distinguish the features
of man at distance of four or five feet; doors at
foot Of stairs at Exchange street entrance open
and the moon shone part way up the Stairway
dim light came through the window from editorial
rooms dim light came through window of door to
out through tull length window over Market street
stairway; our folks never used the elevator from
that hallway.
Cross Examined-S after this accident arbi-
trarly ordered the doors to eevatorway nailed up,
intending that no possible thing could do to pre-
vent the recurrence of such an accident should be
omitted but Thurstons people opened them again for
their use; l also ordered the gas burner which
hangs at head Of Exchange street. stairway, to be
lighted.
Direct Resumed-That was done after consultation
with counsel and against his advice.
L. FL. Cobb, night editor Of Press. While in edI-
toral room heard groans and thought they came
from the street; looked out and saw nothing; soon
after that heard shout from composing room that
man had fallen down the elevator; followed the COM
positors down stairs; did not make any change in
lights in editorial room when I LETT; recollect dis
tinctly that my light in S. E. Corner of room was
burning full head; very confident that another light
was burning, although not as confident of that in
regard to mine. After going down stairs know
Colley had conversation with Parker, which don't
recollect think went into the hallway Immediate
y on returning from down stairs but not certain;
soon after that Mr.. Puen called me out to examine
the halfway; so far as moving about concerned
1t was light as day; no person would have any
difficulty in walking about than in daylight; Of
course could not see minute objects distinctly;
think the bright moon made the hallway little
lighter that night than usual.
Cross-examined-Orders are to turn down lights
when we are out of the room.
Direct Resumed-They are left burning quite as
often as they get turned down.
George II. Lefayor, foreman in Press composing
room-I heard noises, but supposed they came from
the back entry; sounded like drunken man; soon
off hot che 4o1Ix
what the trouble was went into the entry and
leaned over the elevator and tr led to hear; when
went there found the gate about foot open;
stopped there but two or three seconds; went into
my room sent Mr. Laverdere fer policemen, and
worked there till the policemen came; at the time
II heard this noise and for half an hour before the
lights in the composing room were all burning
brightly; examined the hallway with Mr.. Pullen
after the accident and found the hallway different
as to light than it always has been, excepting little
lighter that night on account of the bright moon
light.
Cross-examined-Before the accident,-can't say
whether year or more before the .accident-I told
the Press people that "that was a dangerous place
and ought to be fixed, or somebody would get hurt
there" or words to that effect; think that was
shortly after noticed the gate being open 1t be-
cause the doors sometimes left open without the
e r "p' ~ e ~ ~ ~ Va
ao'ue'. ~ VeiS o.en i"ppenS 'na' sefeiai
tors eat luncheon at same time; at such times some
times they turn down the lights their stands and
sometimes not; the rule Of the Office is for to
turn down the light his stand while taking lun-
cheonI don't thinkI did any thing to the gateiwhenI
went and leaned over it.
F. L. Colley, compostor, in the employ of the
ne. AA'" VI 'ne a'opuen' mnen isher c'lne
1P al" '"ia nnan was uo"n JIG eieVatoi-may' ~
Poiioenen "eio uo"h staiis "nen got Cnerei iouhu
AaiAei if"K III inc colner VI Lie elevator nearest
Miode streeei all the composltors followed me rgnt
uoWn; ana tnree pohcemen carried Parker up INTO
the JoD once, In the rear Oh the countlng-room;
when nrst went to him asked him how he came
'nere. ne salo ali ne remembered ne nad been up 10
see Mei'' ana ne came out and opened the door and
WAIKIKI oh' .nat - all ne remempered; asked hlm
ne remeinpereu coming DOWN nignt OF stairs; ne
saiu ne aiu hoti III consequence Oh tnat information
went 70 tne argus once nat to see II the elevator
was Oh tne argus noor TO see wnetner ne walked on
therei iound tne elevator even WIN Inc Argus
noor and that rendered 1t impossible or him to nave
fallen from there; was as close to Parker as could
get; MS breath smeit as tnough ne mad peen drink
n.y.
Oross-exammed-Aiter we got hlui onto the Jop
on1ce noor askeo him where he was AurI' NC saiu
ne was hurt IN the PACK; asked MIN where ne
hVea; ne said ne Ived on congress street; CONT
recohecC whether ne said tne NUMBER; askeu MIN
nc "ahteu dllnk' ne sala ne ud' got MN
oi'nk Oh WAFER also asked MIN tnere IL ne old NOT
remember no" ne came there' and ne sald he ceala
no. ieneniper'
MITCHELL Aa'erdiere IN tne employ Oh Tue fress-
went aiter pohcemen the mght OF the accldeht'
inis WITNESS corrooorates Coiey as TO tne converse
uoh between Colley and Parker.
A. "orn"oou' compositor on Ihe ffess-1 recoi-
iect just % got through taxing luncheon the night
u 'ne acciuehe ufeeh came III looked up al Inc
CLOCK anu said III Is twenty-five minutes past
eleven tnere was no custom ABOUT taxing iuncneon'
eacn one took IL wneh ne pleased; tnae nlgnt ate
iuncneon aione'
Y. A. sioman' compositor on the Press-Ihe nlsne
ol Tue acciuene went lnto tne once ABOUT 'eh
O'CLOCK wnen went In the gate TO the eleVator-way
was smut; could see IL when came IN learneu Oh
.he ACCIDENT wheh flsner came anu toiu US wen
uo"n in'o 'ne eie'a'ol iooni' Ga" i"Aei i'ms
uo"h' party 'uiheu o'ei oh one sue' i'o'' Vi 'n0
'O ~, well uo"n. ,.r.
LUIS "i'ne'' o"oo'aii'i"ny ooiio0oiAeo' oo'i01 90